Fresh Start
by gosteadyonme
Summary: Bella can't choose between Edward & Jacob and now she knows why so she leaves Forks, WA. She eventually finds her way to Mystic Falls, VA. What awaits her there?
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER [I'm only gonna say this once!]:

If you recognise it, I don't own it.

[This chapter contains extracts from Eclipse, although I've manipulated & reordered some of them to fit my story.]

Chapter 1:

_The corner of her mouth turned up in a wistful half smile. "I used to think of you that way, you know. Like the sun. My own personal sun. You balanced out the clouds nicely for me."_

_He sighed. "The clouds I can handle. But I can't fight with an eclipse."_

_She touched his face, laying her hand against his cheek. He exhaled at her touch and closed his eyes. It was very quiet. For a minute she could hear the beating of his heart, slow and even._

_"Tell me the worst part for you," he whispered._

_How could she deny him anything at this point?_

_"The worst part is I saw the whole thing - our life. I never had a choice, I always knew nothing would change. Maybe that's why I was fighting against you so hard."_

_He shook his head, "Thank you for being honest. I'll be good now."_

_She ducked her head, "I'm sorry, I have to go."_

_He watched her walk out of his room with an unfathomable expression in his balck eyes._

_"Wait for me upstairs," she mumbled when they were in front of her dads house._

_He hugged her tightly for a moment and then he was gone. Once inside, she headed straight for the stairs._

_"Bella?" her dad called after her from his usual place on the sofa as she walked by._

_She turned to look at him, nodding to convey that Jacob was fine before heading once again to the stairs. When she reached her room it was empty, a single note on her desk;_

_**"My Dearest Bella,**_

_**Carlisle has called on me for a family meeting, I shall be back before you know it,**_

_**Love, Edward."**_

_Dropping the note back onto her desk, she picked up the velvet box holding what was now __her__ engagement ring and lay upon her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her hindsight seemed unbearably clear tonight. She could see every mistake she'd ever made, every bit of harm she'd done, the small things and the big things. Each pained she'd caused Jacob, each wound she'd given Edward, stacked into neat piles that she could not ignore or deny. And suddenly, looking at that blue velvet ring box everything snapped into place. Why she could never choose either man for her own._

_She loved them both but was in love with neither._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

In that moment of clearity, Bella Swan grabbed her duffle bag from under her bed and ran around her room grabbing the bare essentials. A few changes of clothes, her scrapbook, Jacobs bracelet, Edward's notes, some toiletries and her camera. With every packed she made her way down the stairs two at a time and dropped her stuff by the door before walking back to a very confused Charlie.

"Bella? You spending the night at the Cullens?"

She sighed and embraced her dad, for once the alien motion felt good. "I love you dad."

Suddenly her dad was holding her at arms length, "What's going on Bells?"

She felt her eyes water at obvious pain in his eyes. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out the ring box, "I need you to give this back to Edward and tell him not to look for me, I'll be visiting at some point."

Charlie took the box from her and opened it, letting out a low whistle. "This is what you need to do?"

Bella smiled up at her dad, somehow even though they didn't speak often, he always understood her and trusted her, but when he quietly left the room it hurt, wiping a tear from her eye she headed to the door.

"Bells?"

She turned to see her dad holding a bag out to her, "Take this." As she reached for it he embraced her before kissing her on the head and making her promise to text him at least once a week and be home for thanksgiving if she wasn't too far.

She breathed out a sigh of relief she didn't realise she was holding when she reached the interstate, heading down towards California. The sunnier the place, the less chance of the Cullen's showing up. She almost froze, Alice would be watching for her, looking out for any decisions. Realizing this, Bella began periodically thinking of a different pllace to go, hoping it would throw Alice far enough off of her trail.

She'd been driving for nearly 14 hours when she realised she was hungry, adrenaline could only get you so far apparently. Consentrating on the Big Ben in London, she pulled over into the car park of the next first motel she passed and bought a single room for the night.

Once she got into the room she opened the bag her dad had given her, not having had chance to do so beforehand.

What was inside shocked Bella a little. There were two guns, a few spare magazines, protein shakes & bars, a pair of wooden knuckle dusters and a small box. Cautiously she pulled out the box, placing the bag on the floor before flipping the catch on the box. Inside was a note, a ring and a simple silver bracelet with a hallow glass heart filled with what smelt like rose oil. Putting them both on she picked up the note;

**"Swan Family,**

**Thank you for taking me in, with these I repay you, if you leave Forks wear them as not all of the world is as safe.**

**-Bennett"**

Bella knew she should've been worried or at least questioning the note but she was way too tired to care right now. Without even getting changed, she flopped bac onto the bed and let sleep take a hold, hoping she was too tired to dream about what she'd done in leaving Forks.


	3. Chapter 3

[I know it's physically impossible for humans to get from FORKS to MYSTIC FALLS within 2 days but it's happening, so shh] [[Also it's a one]

Chapter 3

Bella woke the next morning feeling pretty refreshed but smelling pretty bad from being stuck in the same clothes for nearly 48 hours. After a quick shower she packed up the rest of her stuff and loaded it into her truck before pulling back onto the highway, now heading towards the east coast.

By the time night fell she was just passing through North Carolina and into Virginia. Cracking open a window she breathed in some Virginian air. It was green but not to the extent of Forks. Maybe she'd stop here for a while. She passed through some of the larger towns before coming across the cutest bedsit she'd ever seen.

"**Mrs Flowers' Bedsit, Mystic Falls, VA"**

She was just climbing out of the cab of her truck when someone stood in front of her. She was a little taller than Bella, longer dark brown hair and dark brown eyes.

Normally Bella would've backed down but that was Edward's Bella, this was supposed to be a fresh start, so piling up her confidence she bit out, "Can I help you?"

The girl just tilted her head, studying me before looking back over her shoulder at another woman, this one much older, Mrs Flowers, Bella assumed.

"Oh, lets get you in before this rain starts," she called to Bella. "I'm not sure you should be going out in this weather Miss Pierce."

Miss Pierce turned back to the bedsit owner, "I'll be fine Mrs Flowers, just got to pay a friend a visit."

Bella reached into the trucks bed to get her duffle bag and the bag her dad had given her, running into the house just as the rain began to fall, looking back out at it she could've sworn she saw the other brunette speed away.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Bella had arrived at the bedsit, her plan had been to pass through but after seeing this 'Miss Pierce' running possibly faster than Edward, she was intrigued. For one, she hadn't looked like the Cullens at all. Yes, she was beautiful but not in an inhuman way and also her eyes, they were brown instead of gold or even red. Remembering that she had a knack for attracting trouble, Bella decided she'd look for it instead, maybe that way there would be less casualties and surprizes.

The next morning Bella was woken by a knock on her door, opening she found Mrs Flowers stood on the other side holding her ATM card and a sad expression.

"Is there something wrong?" Bella asked, dreading the answer.

"I'm afraid the payment on your card bounced, apparently your card was cancelled by your father when you went missing," the elderly lady told her kindly.

Bella frowned, she hadn't gone missing, she'd told her dad where she was going, she'd text him the night before. Pulling out her phone, she dialled her dads number, holding up a finger to signal one minute to Mrs Flowers.

_"Bella?"_

"I'm missing?"

_"It's the only way I could think of to stop him finding you, sorry."_

"Of course, someone could've traced it. Thanks."

She placed her phone back in her pocket before turning back to the landlady, "I'll just check my purse."

She felt a cold hand on her forearm and turned back to find Miss Pierce holding it. "Put her on my tab, Mrs Flowers."

Bella saw Mrs Flowers smile at Miss Pierce before bustling away.

"Can I have my arm back?"

Miss Pierce smirked at her, "That's no way to say thank you."

"I didn't ask for your help, although, last time a vampire tried to help me, they ended up dead, so by all means, carry on." Bella retorted calmly whilst yanking her arm out of Pierce's hold.

Bella watched the smile grow on the other womans face, "You're smart, I like that. What's your name?"

"What's yours?"

She laughed back, "And sassy. I'm Katherine Pierce, but I like you, you can call me Kat."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I'm Bella Swan, but I don't particuarly get the feeling I'll like you so you can call me Isabella," she responded smirking, trying with all her might to not let her voice shake.

Katherine raised an eyebrow, "I really ought to avoid people with that name. Hang on. Swan?"

Bella just nodded, not trusting her voice to not shake.

"Huh. I'll be going now, but I'll be back."

"What for?" Bella asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Repayment," was all she said before disappearing.

Bella had stayed in her room a little longer before getting bored and deciding to have a look around Mystic Falls, waving goodbye to Mrs Flowers she climbed into her truck and headed into the small town. By the looks of it, it wasn't much bigger than Forks. She noticed that the towns main square was empty, checking her watch she took in the time 3:00pm. No wonder it was empty, school wouldn't be over yet.

She should be starting her final year of high school this week and made a mental note to get signed up to some homeschool course if she was going to keep driving around like she was. In fact, considering she had no money, she should be registering at the local school. With nothing to do that wouldn't cost her, Bella decided to head back to the bedsit and ask Mrs Flowers about the local school.

She was almost back when she must've made a wrong turn, ending up at what appeared to be a large boarding house. She was just about to reverse out when she saw two men exit the building, the dark haired one jumping in his mustang and shooting out of the drive, the other sped into the forest. Not thinking twice, Bella jumped out of her truck and followed him as quietly as she could, maybe some of her questions about these over vampires would be answered if she watched them.

After searching for nearly 15 minutes, she came across the brown haired man, his mouth biting into the neck of a deer. Remembering Edward's warnings about vampires hunting and distractions she tried to back away, she'd gotten nearly steps when she tripped over a log, scratching her hand as she hurried to righten herself by pulling on a tree.

The next second seemed to last forever as she looked from her bleeding hand to his ravenous red eyes. Right about now felt the right time to gulp.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Not even hesitating, Bella turned to run only to find the vampire in front of her. Startled, she fell again, this time rather then getting up to run, she begun crawling away, deep down she knew she couldn't out run him but she had to try. She had almost reached the edge of the trees when grabbed her and slammed her back into tree, Bella bit her lip to stop herself from screaming aloud, it wouldn't do her any good, this place was pretty isolated, so she closed her eyes, waiting for it to be over.

She felt him lift her right wrist, sniffing it, she was just readying herself to tense up when she heard him hiss. Looking down she saw him glaring at her bracelet, at the heart. She watched as he tore it from her wrist and tossed it out of the forest. After he'd done this he caught her eyes, she watched his pupils dilute as he whispered in a silky voice, "Run. I like a chase."

With that he dropped her to the ground, instead of running Bella's hand flew to her neck. Risking a look up she saw him looking infuriated and tried to shuffle back into the protection of the tree, she was almost there when he grabbed her forearms, flinging her at the trunk of another tree before stalking towards her. He pulled her to her feet and wrenched her neck to one side with such force that Bella was surprised it didn't break. She felt his fangs pierce her skin and blood being pulled from her at such a rate that within a minute he'd have drained her.

She could feel herself getting light headed when the vampire was pulled away. Lacking her normal minute strength, she instantly dropped to the ground. Looking up she saw that it was the black haired man she'd seen coming out of the house who was holding him back. He looked older but there were definite similarities between the two. Brothers, she guessed. Although the older one was obviously stronger as he flung the younger vampire at least 10 feet away, causing him land against a tree trunk. Bella watched in horror as the elder vamp stabbed him in the stomach with a thick branch and the younger screamed aloud. She saw his now brown eyes flick to her neck, the horror of what he'd done obviously upsetting him. It was then that she realised the stab had been to knock him out of the bloddlust he was experiencing.

Not wanting to be in the woods with two unknown vampires anymore she forced herself to stand and pushed her jacket into her neck wound before backing into the thick of the trees and turning to leave.

"Wait!" came a voice from behind her. Turning she saw the elder of the two walking towards her.

She froze as he stood directly in front of her and looked into her eyes. She watched as his eyes diluted too. "You'll forget what you saw, you tripped and fell."

She felt her head tip to the side, "Why do your eyes do that?"

The man in front of her froze. This time the younger one spoke up, she hadn't noticed him approach them, "It won't work Damon. I tried."

The older man, Damon's eyebrows furrowed, "Do you drink vervain?"

"What? What's vervain?" Bella was getting really confused, these vampires weren't like the ones she'd met but she was 100% sure they were vampires.

"Stefan, who is this?"

The younger one, Stefan, replied, "I don't know, she's new in town. She was wearing a vervain bracelet though, it's over there." He pointed in the direction of the house.

Bella sighed, "You could just ask me who I am."

Damon frowned, "Who are you? _What_ are you?"

"Bleeding," she snarked back, "My name's Bella Swan, I was just passing through. I'm a Virgo, I was born at Forks Memorial Hospital, my parents are divorced. And now I'm stuck here because my dad cancelled my credit card to stop my vampire ex boyfriend and wannabe-boyfriend the shapeshifter from finding me. Anything else? Can I please go now? I'm feeling sick, I can smell it." She finished frowning. She wasn't sure why she told them all of that, she put it down to the blood loss.

Damon stood in shock whilst Stefan looked pensive.

"Smell what?" Damon asked after a minute.

"The blood."

He laughed, "You don't like blood, but you dated a vampire?"

"He's part of a family of vegetarian vampires, it was rarely an issue."

Stefan perked up. "Vegetarian?"

Bella sighed, "They animals instead, like I'm assuming you were trying to do. Now can we go somewhere else, I could really used a glass of water, I can't go back to the bedsit looking like this, Kat will have a taste too."

She saw both of the brothers freeze. Damon was the first to talk, "Kat? As in Katherine Pierce?"

Bella nodded, "Why?"

Instead of responding he picked her up and ran her back to the house, but unlike when Edward used to run, she didn't feel sick.


	7. Chapter 7

**[A/N: So… It's been a while and to be brutally honest, I can't quite remember where I was going with this so we're going to have to improvise. Anyhoo, multiple chapters tonight, they'll all be about medium length, hopefully.**

**Once again, thanks to everyone who's favourite this, me or getting alerts. YOU ROCK. v]**

**Chapter 7**

Upon reaching the boarding house, Damon dropped her unceremoniously onto the couch and left the room only to return seconds later with a first aid kit and two mugs of drink. He placed them all on the table before reaching towards the jacket Bella was holding to her neck. Getting the hint she passed to him and he proceeded to hold it out to his left.

"Burn this please, if that's not too much for you."

Bella looked to where he was pointing the jacket and was surprised to see Stefan stood in the rooms archway. This further proved that the younger vamp had more than adequate control over his bloodlust in normal circumstances, definitely more control than Jasper possessed as he hadn't been able to be around for, well until the Cullens returned after Edward's suicide trip. She couldn't help but frown though as he left the room with her jacket, if was one of her favourites, her nana had made her it just before she died.

"He'll buy you a new one," Damon stated, obviously guessing her train of thought.

She looked up at him, "Does he know this?"

Damon smirked in a way that told her he would soon and Bella couldn't help but laugh, even as he tilted her neck to expose it so he could clean and dress it.

"Are you brothers?" Bella asked to distract herself from the fact that he kept getting closer and closer to her neck. He just nodded in response. "Like real brothers?"

He chuckled, "As opposed to?"

"The coven I knew, they said they were brothers but it was just a title."

Damon pulled back, reaching for some tape, "Coven? This where your vampire boyfriend was from? Didn't realise my kind still called them that."

"Ex." She interjected, causing him to smirk, "And they weren't quite like you. They were cold ones."

As soon as she said it, Damon was stood on the other side of the table he had previously been sat on, "Are you out of your mind? Do you have a death wish?"

She frowned, "Why would you say that?"

"The cold ones are the most volatile race of vampires," came Stefan's voice from the archway. This made Bella jump, she didn't realise he'd returned, "The bloodlust they experience is dangerous. One drop and you're dead."

"Hello?" Bella said, pointing at the now covered wound on her neck. She felt bad for it though when she saw Stefan's face drop. "Sorry, I didn't mean to… I know about how crazed they are, trust me."

"How would you know? How could you possibly know? You're still here, alive, obviously you got lucky," Damon bit out from the bar on the other side of the room.

Bella could feel her anger building, "Lucky? Sure, I'm lucky this didn't turn me," she said loudly pointing at the crescent shaped scar on her hand, "I'm lucky my ex's family killed the vampire that did this to me and inevitably set his mate on me. I'm lucky that less than a week ago I watched people I know died; that I saw so many peoples lives destroyed for someone's revenge on me. I'm lucky I have… had two supernatural friends fighting for me; tearing me down; that I had to confront the Volturi and risked my life to save my ex's life. I'm lucky that the Volturi are now watching my every move waiting for me to be turned or they'll come and kill me. Don't tell me I'm lucky!" she yelled, storming towards the door, only to find Damon in her way.

Without any apology or words of understanding he just whispered, "We can't let you leave."

Getting right into his face Bella snarled, "Stop me." Before ripping open the door and storming out of the house.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Damon watched as she stormed out into the night before turning back to his brother and smirking, "I like her."

Stefan just raised an eyebrow and walked out of the house in the direction Bella had gone.

**FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS**

Stefan had only been looking a few minutes when he found her. She was sitting on the ground trying to fixed the broken links on her bracelet.

"That has vervain in it," he told her, causing her to jump and drop a piece of the chain.

"Don't do that," she scolded him.

He walked around to sit in front of her, "Sorry. Here," he said passing her the chain she was hunting for in the leaves.

"Thanks. Erm, what's vervain sorry. I heard you mention it earlier," she replied focusing on fixing the bracelet.

"Yeah, the liquid in that heart is vervain. It repels my kind and stops us getting into your heads and compelling you," he explained, passing her another piece of chain.

"Compelling, is that like dazzling?" taking in his confused expression she added, "Like tricking the brain, making the person do something they wouldn't normally or don't want to?"

He smiled at her, "Exactly."

"But you can't compel me, can you?"

"How did you know? Oh, did you hea-"

Bella interrupted him, "That and I can't be dazzled, my mind can't be read, it's like my brains on a different frequency or something. Don't worry," she finished in whisper, "You're not losing your touch."

Stefan chuckled for the first time that evening. It felt good, it'd been a while since he'd laughed with someone who wasn't Elena, heck, it'd been a while since he'd laughed with anyone. Bella soon joined in, "It feel so good to laugh again."

**FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS**

When Bella and Stefan returned to the house, her bracelet was once again intact and the sun was starting to come up. They had realised they'd been out so long until those first rays poked through the trees. Surprisingly, him and Bella had a lot in common. They both kept journals, loved classic books and were closet Buffy fanatics.

"I still reckon Joss Whedon must've met one of your kind! His vampires are so freakishly accurate, it's sort of bizarre. Although, I have to say, the veiny eyes are slightly more attractive than those scrunched up faces his vamps had. Other then that, he got the sunlight, stakes and fire right."

Stefan laughed, "But not the holy water, garlic and dusting."

"Psht," Bella scoffed, "He was pretty darn close!"

"Yeah, as close as you finding waldo everytime in less than a minute."

Bella couldn't help but burst out laughing, "What kinda of comparison is that? Way too many words!"

Stefan blushed a little, "I was trying to improvise."

"Don't give up the night job anytime soon."

Both laughing, they dropped side by side onto the couch. Just as they were starting to calm down, Bella shouted, "Waldo!" And they cracked up all over again, not noticing the dark haired teen who'd followed them in standing in the archway. She stood stock still for over a minute taking in the site, not missing the light shoves they shared, she decided to make her presence known by clearing her throat.

Instinctively, Stefan jumped to his feet as he took in his 'opponent', relaxing when he saw who it was and slowly made his way over to her and embracing her. Not noticing Bella also stand up and look around for some kind of weapon. She'd thought that the Salvatore's were going to live up to their namesake and save her from Katherine, but there Stefan was, hugging her.

"Who's this?" 'Katherine' asked, looking over Stefan's shoulder.

Stefan turned and took in Bella's almost defensive stance, he smacked his forehead. Of course Bella would be unsettled. "This is Bella," he said pointing and dragging 'Katherine' over to her, "Bella, this is Elena."

He waited for the whole 'but she looks like Katherine' conversation but was surprised when Bella stood tall, took a hold of Elena's hand and smile, "Hello Elena. Sorry about that, thought you were someone else."

Now was Elena's turn to look between the other two, "She knows."

"Seems like all the cool kids know nowadays," came a sarcastic voice from the stairs, "And the uncool ones too. Morning all," Damon smirked wondering back out of the room and coming back with a glass of blood.

"Bon appetite," Bella said, drinking from an invisible cup.

"She knows you're vampires?"

Bella sighed, "_She's_ right here."

Elena had the courtesy to looked chagrined," Sorry."

"It's okay," Bella smiled before it slipped from her face, "I am knackered. I'd best be heading back to Ms Flowers."

Damon walked to stand in her way, "Didn't we do this already?"

"We did. Do you remember how it went?"

Stefan interjected, "It's probably best you stay here Bella. There's no telling what Katherine could do."

Bella laughed, "She's hardly going to kill me."

"Yet," Damon stated.


	9. Authors Note!

**A/N: So, I'm back & I've finally decided who/what Bella is! Seriously I hadn't even figured it out when I started writing! Trust me. It's good. Also, just before that we'll find out how the Bennett's & Swann's are connected, although we may not find this out until after the big reveal! So excited to see how this all goes down? I am too cos I have no idea what is going on, I just had to read back my own story! Also, I finally decided where in Season 2 this all falls. After Kill Or Be Killed, before Masquerade. Let's say "Elena" told Sheriff Forbes about the Salvatore's in KOBK! Okay? Also I estimate there are roughly 10 chapters left of Act 1 of this story, this'll either become a series or a long ass story! And I'm feeling mean so we won't actually find out what Bella is until the beginning of the last chapter! (;**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

_Stefan interjected, "It's probably best you stay here Bella. There's no telling what Katherine could do."_

_Bella laughed, "She's hardly going to kill me."_

_"Yet," Damon stated._

**FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS**

Bella sighed as Stefan and Damon stood in front of her, they were trying to convince her to stay at the boarding house and not return to the bedsit.

"She could easily kill you without so much as a second thought." Damon tried to drill in.

Stefan nodded, "Damon's right. You're of no importance to her end game, she doesn't have any reason to let you live."

"Heck she tried to kill me and Stef just last week, and she loves him," Damon sneered in response, jutting a thumb in his brothers general direction.

Stefan frowned at his comment. Bella watched as Elena rubbed Stefan's arm to try and calm him. Watching them reminded her so much of her time with Edward. She may not love him, but she had cared depply for him and Jacob. She was brought out of her musings when Stefan threw a lamp at Damon.

"Stefan, how many times have I told you! Not the expensive stuff." Was Damon's mocking reply before he picked up a nearby stake and threw it at Stefans leg, causing the younger brother to drop to the floor and Elena to hug him whilst glaring at Damon.

Noticing all the commotion around her, Bella silently picked up her keys from the coffee table and snuck out of the room, hoping no one would notice her leave. Luck was not on her side, she was just reaching for the door handle when she was pulled back and pushed into a wall.

"What?"

Damon snorted, "You honestly thought neither of us would hear you leave?"

Bella felt the beginnings of a smile on her face, "More like hoping."

"How many times do we have to go over this? Did it not sink in?"

Bella frowned, "Stay away from Katherine, she doesn't need me, she'll kill me. I got it."

"And you're still going?" Damon asked in disbelief, even Elena wasn't this stupid.

"Of course."

"And how do you expect her not to notice your new hickey?"

Bella laughed, "I don't."

Damon was feeling lost, "How are you going to explain it then?"

Bella rolled her eyes before making her voice more monotonous, "I went for a walk in the woods. I got lost and an animal attacked me." She laughed at his shocked expression, "You think I don't know these things? Please, I dated a vampire remember? Although they do things differently, I've seen how a _compelled_ person acts. I'll be fine."

Damon glared, "It's not an option."

Bella could feel the anger rising in her, "Excuse me? What gives you the right to tell me what to do? I don't know you, you don't know me! So I'm going to go live _my_ life in _my_ bedsit room. Goodbye Damon!"

With that she stormed out of the front door. Damon meanwhile still stood in shock, watching her fade into the night. No one had spoken to him like that in years, except for Elena, but even she wouldn't yell at him, not like that. This girl, there was something different about her. He'd smelt it when Stefan had been feeding from her, heck he could still smell it. And he wanted to know what it was, and what Damon wants, Damon gets.

**FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS**

Bella fell onto her bed as soon as she entered her room. Today had been long and very draining, pun intended, and now all she wanted was to sleep, but today obviously wasn't working with her. The second her back had hit the bed Katherine's voice rang out from a darkened corner.

"Where have you been?"

Bella jumped up from the bed and turned to look where she'd heard the voice, "What are you doing in here?"

With a quiet click, the lamp on the desk Katherine was sitting on lit up, making the vamps annoyed face more visable.

"What's that on your neck?" She asked, appearing at her side in a flash, touching the bandage on her neck, "What happened?"

Bella stiffened before repeating to her what she'd told Damon, straight face and all. She watched in mild amusement as Katherine rolled her eyes and muttered, "I really need to deal with Damon."

Why did everyone always think the worst of Damon, I mean sure, he was a bit of an ass and he was mean to Stefan but he'd been nothing but sort of sweet with her. He'd made sure she was okay, tried to protect her from the vampire that now stood in front of her cursing the Salvatore name.

Suddenly Katherine was in her face, looking her straight in the eyes, "Don't move, don't make a noise."

Bella had to fight to stop herself from stiffening as Katherine lifted the bandage from her neck and sniffed the wound before sticking the tip of her pinky in. She watched in somewhat frozen fascination as Katherine licked her finger before replacing the bandage.

"Ooh Stefan you have been a naughty boy," she chuckled before turning back to her. "Go to bed, in the morning you won't remember seeing me"

She stayed frozen until she heard Katherine's door close up the hall before letting out the breath she had been holding in and flopping down onto her bed. Her stare on the ceiling, she thought back over her day. But one thing bothered her more than anything, if Katherine thought she could compel her and was making no move to kill her, what was she going to have Bella do. And more importantly, why did she feel like she'd been to Mystic Falls before?


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Oh gosh. From 40 reviews to 60+ with one chapter? Sorry I ept you waiting so long! Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews/favourites this story, you're the inspiration that keeps me writing it! I've read every single review & read any stories that the reviewers have written too (: Also, someone made a comment along the lines of Alice noticing them? The Cullens are coming, at some point, I haven't completely written them out, they just aren't relevant to this part of the story! So without further ado, here's the next chapter, it's short but there's another coming pretty sharpish!**

Chapter 10

Bella has been asleep less than an hour when there was a knock on her window. She checked herself before checking it out, luckily she'd fallen asleep fully dressed otherwise this could've been more embarrassing, in her rush to pack she'd forgotten pajamas. She froze midway to the window as it slid open.

"I know you're awake," came an annoyed voice from the window.

She frowned as she saw Damon sitting on the low roof next to her window. "What are you doing here Damon?"

He let out an indignified huff, "Waiting for you to invite me in."

A bark like laugh escaped her mouth, "I think not. Just tell me whatever important information requires you to wake me in the middle of the night and leave."

"Well if you're not going to invite me in, could you come out here?"

Bella's eyed widened, "On the roof?"

Damon pulled a '_duh_' face at her, reaching a hand towards her as far as it would go without actually entering the room.

"Not the best idea, knowing my luck I'd fall off of it."

"Well then come out here and I'll carry you to solid land."

She bit her lip and leaned round him to see how far down the ground was, sensing her apprehension he cut in with, "I promise not to drop you."

"Wait here." She said before disappearing from his view.

Bella heard him scoff at her comment as she searched through her duffle bag for her coat, October was definitely not a warm month in Mystic Falls. Punching her arms through the sleeves on her way back to the window she asked, "Where's Katherine?"

"Not sure but she's not here at any rate, now hurry up. Just sit on the outside of the window and I can lift you down."

She did as he'd asked and as soon as she'd passed the windows threshold Damon grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, smirking at the little gasp she'd let out before stepping off of the edge of the roof. Placing her down he chuckled at her heart rate, it'd picked up the second he'd stepped towards the edge of the roof and was still beating out a samba.

"It's not funny. You could've warned me."

Damon stepped back from her and guided her to a nearby bench, "Oh if you could hear your heart you'd chuckle too."

Sitting down she turned to him, "No I wouldn't! That was mean."

"Really? I saw the way you were looking at the ground, if I'd have let you prepare you would've chickened out and gone back to bed. Wouldn't you?"

He got her there. She chuckled lightly, "Edward would never have done anything like that. I'm the fragile human."

Damon frowned back at her, "From what I've seen, you're not fragile. For one, no one speaks to a vampire the way you spoke to me. You went of with Stefan alone after he tried to kill you. You didn't even question Elena's resemblance to Katherine. Actually if anything, I wouldn't say you were fragile, just missing a few screws up here." He said touching her forehead.

She smiled wryly, picking at the peeling paint on the bench seat, "Probably. I don't exactly make the best decisions."

"But you don't make the wrong ones."

"How would you know?"

Damon put his hand on hers to stop her picking all the paint off, "Just a feeling I have."

Bella gently pulled her hand out from under hers, "I feel like I've been here before. This place, the people, this situation. It's ... disturbing."

"Maybe you have."

"I think I'd remember it!" She laughed, "You're certainly an unforgettable bunch."

"Am I the most unforgettable?" He asked winking at her.

Bella thought over it awhile. "No. Katherine is. She's ... something else."

Damon huffed again. Bella shoved his shoulder, "You need to stop doing that, it's unbecoming of you."

"Okay, mom!"

Suddenly a car pulled into the drive, before Bella could even think about what was happening, Damon had picked her up and jumped back up to her window, "Go inside, pretend to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered in her ear, hepling her in her window.

"Why would I see you tomorrow?"

He sighed and passed her a slip of paper. "Text me and I'll tell you, I have to go before Katherine detects me. Night."

Without thinking he leaned in and kissed her cheek before closing the window on her shocked face and disappearing from view.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Bella tried not to overthink things as she climbed into her bed. It was just a goodnight kiss, nothing more. He probably did it to everyone. She had to stick her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing at the image of Damon trying to give Stefan a goodnight kiss that was flashing through her mind. She froze as she heard Katherine walk passed her door. As she heard Katherine's door close up the hall, Bella pulled out her cell and typed in the number on the slip of paper Damon had given her.

_Damon, it's Bella._

**What no kiss? Did Katherine pop her head in to check on you?**

Bella sighed. _She's not my mother. But no. She didn't. Why were you here anyway? Just realised that you didn't say._

**Maybe it's a secret...**

She contemplated not replying and just going to sleep. He obviously wasn't in a helpful mood. Just as her finger hovered over her cells power button, he text again.

**Okay, fine. I came to apologize.**

She could feel the shock on her face. _Damon Salvatore is apologizing? Does this happen often?_

**Increasingly.**

_What's happening tomorrow?_ He obviously felt uneasy about the previous topic so she decided to change it.

It took over ten minutes for Damon's reply to come through.

**You're going to meet the rest of the gang.**

_There's more of you? Who?_ She had admit, she was intrigued, with Edward no one had been allowed to know what was going on.

**A witch, another vampire, two human with fancy rings that stop them dying. No one too interesting.**

_How is that not interesting? :O_

She couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped her at Damon's reply. **Well you've already met me.**

_What makes you so special ;)_

**Are you flirting with me Miss Swann?**

Bella froze. Had she been? She'd never even flirted before. She didn't know how to! Edward had never needed or wanted that from her. Maybe she was. Was that so bad? Well duh! You don't want to involve yourself with another vampire, especially one who thought so highly of himself. She was distracted from her musings by her cell vibrating again.

**Woops, did I embarrass you? Don't worry, everyone does it. I'm irresistible!**

_Psht, please get over yourself. I've met hotter men!_

**Shapeshifters naturally run hot, doesn't count!**

_Not what I meant ;)_

Oh god, she was doing it again, what was getting into her! Before he could text back she sent him another message.

_Where's this going down?_

**FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS**

Damon smiled to himself. She was fun to talk to. He looked down at his cell.

_Where's this going down?_

He smirked as he typed in his reply.

**Hold onto your hat. You're going back to high school.**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: Had to stop myself rewriting my story idea just then. Been reading too much LOTR and was like 'Why can't Bella be an elf?' Haa, that would be too much crossover-age for this story I think. Although the idea is appealing so maybe I'll look into it for my next story (;**

**A/N2: This is only a short one. Mostly filler.**

Chapter 12

Bella had tried continually to get an explanation from Damon but he was obviously ignoring her texts. Growling, she punched her pillow before dropping on it. Falling straight to sleep from sheer exhaustion.

The next morning she woke to sunlight streaming through her window where she'd forgotten to close the curtains the night before when Damon had left. She threw the duvet off of her and banged her hand around her bedside table trying to find her phone. She sat up as she found it and opened one bleary eye to check that time. _6:36am! Six-frigging-thirty six!_ Chucking her phone to the end of her bed as though it had offended her, she flung her legs over the side of the bed and almost fell over as she stumbled over to the window to close the curtains when something caught her eye. In the crack under her door was a manilla envelope.

She bent down to pick it up and saw a post it note on the other side from Mrs Flowers;

_This was left in the lobby for you._

Taking great care not to get a paper cut, Bella opened the envelope and tipped the contents onto her desk. Inside was an I.D., transfer papers and a birth certificate. She couldn't hold back the gasp that left her throat. Just then her cell vibrated on the bed. Not even looking at the caller I.D. she answered.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Bella, you sound flustered, I take it you just got my present," came Damon's voice through the headset.

"Erm, yeah. Why?"

She could hear him scoff, and rolled her eyes. "How else do you expect to get into high school? You sure don't have the money to pay them off!"

Bella frowned, "I wasn't planning on going to high school!"

"How do you expect to get an education and get into college?"

"I was going to do an online course. And for your information, I've already gotten into plenty of colleges, in fact I was considering accepting Dartmouths offer!" She told him, her voice getting more hostile. She hated when people questioned her intelligence.

"Woowh! Sorry. Chill out Bella. And congrats, I hear it's a good school, think my brother may even have gone there once."

She took a deep breathe before responding, "Sorry, I'm not a good morning person."

"I gathered," she heard him laugh down the phone and felt a small smile form on her face, "Well stop standing there and get ready for school. I'll be by in 20 minutes to pick you up and bring you to ours, that way you can travel there with Stefan and Elena."

"20 minutes?" She practically yelled into the handset, any trace of a smile dropping off of her face, "It's not even 7am and I know for a fact no school starts before 8:30! I'll be at yours for 8 o'clock sharp. Bye Damon." With that she slammed her phone shut and threw it back at the bed before dropping herself beside it, gripping her hair in frustration before realising how silly she was being and picking her phone up once again.

_Sorry. I'm being unreasonable. I'll be at yours for 8. Would be suspicious if you picked me up._ She typed into her phone, not trusting herself to call him back with the chance of her yelling and having to apologize again. Less than a second had gone by when she got a reply.

**I know the feeling. Fine. See you at 8.**

Bella smiled as she stood up again before walking over to her duffle bag. She rumaged for a while trying to find something appropriate, she wanted to make a good first impression, there was no telling how long she could be here, Damon seemed to be creating every obstacle possible to stop her leaving, which was a curious thing.

Grabbing a pair of skinny grey jeans, some underwear and her chucks, she started hunting for a t-shirt, not really finding anything that felt _right_. She was considering just sticking on a sweatshirt when she came across the blue top that Edward had always liked and tilted her head to study it before adding it to her pile, picking up a towel and heading across the hall to the wash room.

After thoroughly scrubbing herself in the shower she dressed and appraised herself in the mirror. She smiled, it did look good on her, not only that but it also signified, in her mind at least, the lack of pull she felt towards Edward. Heading back to her room she grabbed her very small and very empty make-up bag and dropped herself into the desk chair, placing a mirror infront of herself. She'd just finished moisturising her face when she noticed the bunched up bandage on her neck. It shocked her for just a second, she'd forgotten all about it. She quickly tied her hair back and winced, her fingers poised to pull the bandage off. Taking a deep breathe she ripped it off, barely noticing the pain because of the shock of what the mirror showed her.

Her neck had healed.


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: Two chapters in two days? Ha, don't get too excited, just means I'll probably take ages to write again (; Aiming for 2 chapters a week.**

Chapter 13

Damon had started pacing in front of the fire in the drawing room. Every few minutes he'd pause to either look at his watch or check that she hadn't come through the door without him noticing, but she hadn't. Shortly before 8 o'clock Stefan made his way downstairs, pausing to take in his brother before collecting a bottle of animal blood from the fridge and sitting in a chair, turning it slightly to face his older brother. Damon made no acknowledgement that he'd even heard his brother at all until he turned to check the door and saw Stefan staring at him with a mildly amused expression.

"What?" Damon growled.

Stefan smiled lazily at his reaction, "She's really gotten under your skin, hasn't she?"

The elder brother turned away, looking into the fire burning, "I'm pretty sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

"That's why you're hanging around here, checking your watch when normally you'd still be in bed until at least noon?"

He spun back to face his brother before grabbing him around the neck and holding him to the floor. Damon was so preoccupied snarling at his brother that he didn't hear Bella enter, giving her time to assess the situation before dropping into one of the armchairs loudly causing Damons head to snap up.

"Bella?" he breathed out, standing and walking towards her, he made it two steps before stopping and frowning, "You're late."

She raised an eyebrow, "By two minutes."

"Anything could've happened!"

She scoffed, "I'm sure I would've been fine." She turned to Stefan, "Don't suppose you fancy going to school early do you?"

Stefan smirked at her and shook his head indicating that he wasn't going to help her out of this situation. "Hey," he said, "I'm going to go and pick up Elena, try not to kill eachother."

The other two glared at him before turning back to eachother. Damon could now clearly see that something was bothering Bella, but waited until his brother had pulled out of the drive to question her on it.

"What's wrong?"

Bella looked away into the fire, sighing, "Nothing. I hope."

Damon frowned and sat in front of her, turning her face so that she was looking into his eyes, "Please don't lie to me Bella."

He slowly slid his hands down from her face and towards her shoulders, pausing at her neck. He couldn't feel the bandage he'd placed on it. Pulling her hair back he studied her neck. There was no mark, no scar, nothing. His hands once again grabbed onto her face and turned her back to look at him.

"What happened?"

Bella pulled his hands away from her face and rested them, with hers, in her lap. "I don't know," she whispered.

Damon frowned, looking down he noticed that she was drawing patterns on the backs of his hands with his fingers. "Bella."

Misunderstanding what he was saying her name for, she tried to pull her hands away but Damon held them still.

"No. I didn't mean -" He really wasn't good at this.

He saw her smile wryly out of the corner of his eye.

"It's okay," she whispered. "But I honestly don't know what happened. I don't know what and I don't know when. It's this - this place. That's my theory anyway."

"What theory?" came Elena's voice from the archway that led into the room.

Damon instantly stood and stepped away from Bella, making their closeness more noticible. He glanced down at her and saw her shake her head almost imperceptibly, but her caught. Clearing his throat he just whispered, "Nothing." Noticing his volume he raised his voice slightly, "Have a good day at school. I'll see you all at lunch."

With that he left up the stairs leaving an astonished Elena starring after him, Damon was never this ... civil. She glanced back towards Bella. There was something more to this girl. There must be.


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thought I'd trying out different POV's, someone left a review saying it'd be good, so I tried. I liked it, but did you?**

Chapter 14

Bella's first morning passed without event. Sure people stopped to star at her and every guy in the building seemed to want to help carry her books, but other than that not a lot happened. She just sat in the back of each class pretending to listen her mind too preoccupied for her to actually absorb any of whatever usual information the teachers were telling her. She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realised that the lunch bell had wrung until Stefan appeared in front of her desk.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

She thought over it a second before simply nodding and dropping her belongings into her book bag. Silently she followed Stefan down the hall into a classroom by the lockers. Looking around she noticed there were a few people waiting. A sudden feeling of shyness came over her. Everyone's gaze was on her. After a few minutes of staring, Damon sighed, "Bella - everyone, everyone - Bella."

This seemed to awaken the petite blonde standing beside Elena. "Damon, what kind of introduction is that?" Walking towards her, the blonde stuck out her hand, "Hi, I'm Caroline."

Cautiously Bella took her hand and shook it, feeling the slight coolness of her skin, she understood Caroline was a vampire. This made Bella smile, everyone around here seemed to be something special.

Damon watched a smile light up Bellas face at the introduction and smiled himself. Seeing her at ease instantly put him at ease.

Taking Caroline's lead, the others went over to the new girl and introduced themselves.

"Hey, Jeremy," the youngest male said patting her shoulder, "Welcome to the mad house." He winked at her before wincing as a beautiful dark skinned girl hit his arm.

"Bonnie," she said introducing herself before pointing to the front of the classroom to the teacher, "And that's Mr Saltzman."

Bella turned to shyly wave at him wondering why a teacher would be around for this.

"Ric, please. I feel so old when people call me that."

"You are old," Damon cut in.

Ric glared at Damon, "I'm pretty sure you're the oldest thing in this room."

Damon raised his hands in defeat, "Touche!"

The others chuckled at the interchange, this was obviously normal behaviour for the two.

Bella looked over at Damon, "Do I sense a bromance?"

Damon glared in her direction as the others laughed louder and pat her back, "Never use that word. Ever! It sounds ... wrong."

"Gee thanks," Ric responded mockingly, shaking his head before his face turned serious, "We should get on with this."

"On with what?" Bella asked in confusion. She'd thought she was just here to meet everyone.

Stefan sighed, "You didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what? Hello, still here!"

Damon smiled at her, "Don't worry, it's nothing horrible. Just-"

Caroline cut across him, "I strongly disagree. Katherine is 100% horrible."

"Horrible isn't the word I'd use," Elena muttered, reminding Bella of her presense in the room.

"This is about Katherine?" Bella asked, surprised at the calmness in her voice, "You're going to get rid of her?"

Jeremy snorted, "I wish it was that easy."

Seeing the confusion on Bella's face, Stefan cut in, "She's older and stronger than me and Damon combined. And we don't necessarily want to get rid of her, we just need her out of the way."

"Wouldn't it be better to get rid of her?"

"It would, but we may need her." Ric tried to explain, "See the one of the oldest vampires in history is after Elena and with them looking so alike, it may come in useful to have her around."

Bella glanced at Elena expecting to distress on her face but saw only determination.

"And this presented me with the opportunity to join the scooby gang? Why?"

"The more people, the better. Besides, nothing scares you Bella, does it?" Damon said, mocking her.

She frowned, "Somethings. Luckily vampires with grudges, not so much. Been there, done that, got the tshirt."

"What?" Bonnie asked, reaching towards her, wanting to read her.

Something about Bonnie made Bella's back crawl though so she stepped back slightly, "Long story."

Glancing at the clock Ric announced that there was only a few minutes left of lunch.

"How about this, let's meet up in The Grill later, we can all get to know eachother and plot further," Jeremy suggested.

Damon scoffed, "I was with you up until the word plot. Ruined the whole speech dude."

"Dude?" Jeremy said stepping forward. Damon was about to step forward too when Elena stood between them, palms out.

"Lets not." Elena said sternly, " We better head off to our next classes." Walking towards the door she paused and turned back, "The Grill, 8 o'clock." With that she left the room, Bonnie and Caroline following her. Jeremy took one last look at Damon before leaving also.

She was just about to follow Stefan to her next class when she turned back to ask something, curiosity had its grip on her.

"What's the name of this vamp?"

Damon looked up at her, "Klaus."

A unexplainable feeling of dread flowed through Bella.

"Bella? Bella!" Damon said alarmed as he ran to her. Standing in front of her, he once again pulled her face to look at his, "What's wrong?"

She could see the confusion on his face, the worry and as much as she wanted to be able to tell him, she didn't know what was going on herself. Stepping away from him she spun around and left the room, Stefan running to catch up with her.

Back in the classroom, Damon turned to Ric. Both men were clearly distressed.

"What was that about?" Ric asked.

"I don't know. But I intend to find out." Damon replied before he too left the room.


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: Was on a roll (; Sorry if the last chapter was a bit lacking, I needed to introduce everyone otherwise the coming chapters wouldn't work. Anyone got any ideas as to what / who Bella is yet? Or are you all still in suspense waiting to find out. I'll give you a clue. She's not a werewolf. Ha, no one was even thinking that were they? :P Hate me. Well review. (;**

**Also sorry of the spelling is lacking, typing and posting the second anything comes to me.**

Chapter 15

Damon found himself entering The Grill at ten to eight. Dropping himself into a chair by a table towards the back of the room her frowned. He knew was early because he was anxious to see Bella. He was feeling emotions he hadn't felt in a long while, not even when he'd had feelings for Elena, feelings he now found, were gone. Bella seemed to consume his every thought and it made no sense. He'd known her less than two days, heck he didn't even really know her. And all these feelings were frustrating him because he needed to focus on finding out what Bella's secret was.

Normally he would just compell someone or in extreme cases, torture them. But for one he couldn't compel Bella, no matter how much he tried, and secondly he couldn't bring himself to even contemplate torturing Bella.

He'd ran through thousands of theories but come up blank. She healed but she very clearly had a heartbeat. She didn't feel witchy yet there was something off about her.

"You're early too?"

Damon actually jumped, something that never happened, from his obviously deep thoughts. Looking up he saw Bella standing nervously before him. He looked her up and down quickly. She looked amazing, as usual. Her hair cascading around her shoulders, she was wearing a long green tee with leggings and some military style boots, which if he remembered rightly, were in fashion amongst the youth at the moment.

"I didn't take you as a fashionista." was his response.

Bella looked at him confused, he silently pointed at her shoes."Oh," she laughed, "I didn't buy them."

Damon raised an eyebrow, "You stole them? Didn't see you as the type."

She laughed at him, "No, my ex, his sister was big on fashion, kept buying me wardrobes of the latest clothes whenever she went shopping."

"Oh. They must've been well off."

She eyed him a second before taking the seat beside him, "I suppose, never been big on the ole money myself. But Alice, she could see the future, she kept an eye on the stock market."

Both of Damons eyebrows went up now, "She could see the future?"

Bella rolled her eyes, "Yes. Some cold ones have extra abilities. You didn't know that?"

"Our kind tends to steer clear of them." He stated before noticing Bonnie and Jeremy making their way over to the table.

Noticing his wandering eyes she turned to see them, "Hey guys."

"You been here long?" Jeremy asked taking the seat on the other side of Bella.

"Nah, a minute or so. I'm pretty sure I was early anyway."

Bonnie leaned around Jeremy to say hi to Bella. The two girls began to converse lightly about the homework they'd received in math that day. Bonnie was shocked to hear the other girl had already completed it.

"Seriously? That was college level algebra! I can't even get my head around the first question."

Bella just shrugged, "I just get it I suppose. Once I realised it was all relative to trianlges and circles it all made sense."

"Really? Oh thanks Bella! That helps so much," she gushed beaming at Bella before standing and hugging her.

Damon watched Bonnies face after her arm brushed Bella's, knowing she would get a reading off of the her. He watched as Bonnies face appeared shocked. He sighed, he wouldn't be able to as Bonnie until the meeting was over.

Over the next ten mintues everyone else arrived, the last person being Caroline who was complaining about the sudden weather change outside ruining her hair.

Every ordered drinks and food. They'd been silently eating for a few minutes when Jeremy sighed and took the lead in the conversation, "So Bella, where you from?"

Bella smiled lightly in his direction, "Forks Washington. The rainiest place in the Olypmic Peninsula!"

"Oh my God, that sounds positively horrific!" Caroline exclaimed loudly.

Bella laughed, "At first it was but it got better."

"How could that get better?"

"I fell in love," Bella said quietly, blushing.

Damon felt himself stiffen at the direction the conversation was taking.

"Ooh, juicy," Bonnie said forcing a smile, "What was he like?"

"Dead." Bella said seriously, judging their shocked before bursting of laughing at their expressions. Stefan laughed along, he already knew this part.

"But seriously, he was a cold one."

Elena looked confused, "What do you mean? He, like, hurt you?"

Bella looked shocked, "Oh God no. he was a cold one, it's another race of vampires."

"A much worse race," Damon cut in sternly before he could stop himself.

Bella looked at him funny before turning back to the others, "I was his singer."

"What? He never told me that! How could you be so foolish?" Stefan said before Damon had a chance.

She sighed, "Love is not prejudice Stefan, you should know that."

She saw Elena's hand disappear under the table to grip Stefan's leg.

Bella smiled across the table at Elena. "Of course, things went south." She said before rushing through an explanation of what had gone down. When she finished everyone was looking at her with wide eyes.

"Well, it's safe to say you'll fit in," Jeremy said as he placed his cutlery back on the table. As he was placing his knife down, however, it caught his hand and cut through his skin. Hissing he grabbed a napkin to hold to it.

Suddenly there was a crashing beside Damon as Caroline ran from the table and out of the door. Bella breathed a sigh of relief and commended Caroline's strength. She was about to lean back when Stefan's expression caught her attention. His fangs were slowly desending and the veins around his eyes became more announced.

"Stefan?" Bella whispered but everyone heard it and looked at him. Elena hand flew to her mouth to stop her from screaming. The bloodlust was palpable on his face. Suddenly Damon was beside him, dragging him outside.

Bella breathed out a sigh of relief that she hadn't realised she was even holding. Before the scent hit her. Edward had always told her that humans couldn't smell blood but she could and it was making her brain swim. She felt her hands start shaking.

"Bella?" came Elena's alarmed voice.

Dragging her eyes open, Bella looked up to find the remained three were all trying to stop the bleeding on Jeremy's hand.

"Yes?" she asked weakly.

"Could you get a first aid box?"

Elena asked but Bella didn't hear it, she was too busy staring at the blood coming out of Jeremy's hand in sick fascination. When Jeremy flexxed his hand, her eyes darted to his. He was studying her actions. Clearing her throat she whispered, "I don't feel good. I'm sorry." With that she ran out of the door.

Jeremy frowned. There had been something in Bella's eyes, he didn't know what but it definitely wasn't safe.


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N/: So it's been a while… sorry (; Life caught up with me but I aim to finish this before the UK TVD con in June! So not long left till the big reveal, I'm just changing the format slightly because I found a story slightly similar [although I started mine first] so I want to make sure it stands out. Plus I like building on the reveal whereas the other story had it in the first chapter, I think the building up to it works better, don't you?**

**Anyways! We did it 100+ reviews & 14 for the last chapter alone! Thank so much (: I can't tell you how great it is that other people like my crazy imagination too (;**

**So without further ado [and be thankful I didn't just upload an A/N chapter…] this should pick up right where the last one left off!**

Chapter 16

Jeremy was still staring at the door Bella had left out of when Damon came back through it.

"Where's Bella?" he asked as he reached the table.

Bonnie just shrugged as she studied the cut on Jeremy's hand and sent Elena to get a band-aid from the first aid kit.

"She left. She had the funniest look in her eye. She couldn't seem to look away from my hand. It was weird. Something's up with her," Jeremy said.

Damon laughed humourlessly, "And that is the million dollar question!"

"She's squeamish," came a voice from behind Bonnie. Turning around they all saw Stefan looking at them sheepishly. "Sorry. My control isn't the best."

"Maybe you shouldn't feed off humans then."

Stefan hung his head in shame.

At that moment Elena returned with the band-aid. "Sorry it took so long, the queue at the bar was manic, then the guy couldn't find the box, then…" It was at that point that Elena saw her boyfriend looking dejected. Dropping the band-aid in Bonnie's hand she walked over to him and a placed a hand on the side of his face, a small smile lighting up her face, "I love you."

Stefan's head flew up at lightening speed. That was what he loved about Elena. She knew who he was, what he was and she accepted it without a doubt.

"If you two are done. You were saying something Stefan," Damon cut it bluntly.

Stefan cleared his throat before sitting back in his seat, Elena by his side, "She's squeamish. Don't you remember, when we first met her?"

Damon pondered it for a second, "She said that she was feeling sick … from smelling the blood."

"I didn't think humans smelt blood," Bonnie thought aloud.

"They don't, not usually."

"Well there's definitely something unusual about Miss Swann."

"Is she a vampire?" Jeremy asked.

Stefan shook his head, "No, she definitely has a heartbeat and she's clumsy as heck."

"What's a singer?" Elena asked suddenly, she'd been to work it out since it was mentioned at dinner, it was obviously something bad.

Damon looked at her, "It's a cold one thing. It's person who's blood _sings_ to the vampire. A vampires singer has the most delectable smelling blood and it's near impossible for them not to just drain them."

"But Bella's still alive?"

"Apparently she dated the guy. Such a stupid decision," Damon frowned.

"Love makes you do the wacky," Bonnie pointed out. "I mean, you both dated Katherine when you were human."

"That was different, she compelled us. Cold ones don't compel, although they do _dazzle_ apparently," Stefan said trying to defend himself.

Damon's eyebrows shot up, "Since when do you know so much about the cold ones?"

"Bella told me, when we were looking for her bracelet."

"An entirely pointless task," Damon said.

Stefan looked confused, "Why's that?"

"She doesn't wear it. Not that she really needs to."

"What do you mean?" Jeremy asked.

"She can't be compelled, and she told me how she couldn't be dazzled either," Stefan explained.

"Well doesn't that just add to the pile of weirdness surrounding her?" Elena muttered.

Suddenly Jeremy's started ringing and quickly answered.

"Jenna? … Okay, we'll be right back."

Hanging up he turned to Elena, "We need to get back, Jenna wants to talk about something."

"Is she okay?" Elena asked pulling her coat on.

Jeremy nodded, "Think so. Probably just about being out on school nights or something. You ready?"

Elena gave Stefan a quick kiss before following Jeremy out of The Grill.

"Now that they're gone," Damon started leaning towards Bonnie, "We can talk about the big boys and girls things like what you saw when you touched Bella."

Bonnie leaned back as Stefan looked between them, "When did this happen?"

"Just before you arrived, now please stop distracting or you'll be going home too."

Stefan gritted his teeth, "Bonnie what did you see?"

The worry that had previously been on Bonnie's face returned, "Nothing."

"Don't lie, I saw your face, witch," Damon whispered threateningly.

"I saw nothing," Bonnie repeated, annunciating each word.

"Nothing?" Stefan asked, "Is that possible?"

Bonnie shrugged, "I don't know, apparently so. I mean, I've never been able to turn it off, I see peoples lives everytime I touch someone. It's … weird."

"Well then, that settles it, I'm going to have to use more drastic measures," Damon said nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair with hands knitted together behind his head.

Stefan's face took on a stern expression, "Why? She's not doing any harm."

"Oh but she is, I don't think she even know what she's doing. She swans into town and first person she meets in Katherine."

"So? That means nothing," Bonnie cut in.

Damon slammed a hand on the table, "Ah, but it does. See Katherine hasn't killed her, in fact she's gone as far as to tell Bella to call her Kat. She never does that. Then I find out from Mrs Flowers that Katherine is also paying Bella's rent. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"You think she's working with Katherine?" Bonne asked confused.

Damon sighed, "I'm not sure what to think."


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N: This chapter is going to seem a tad random but it needs to happen. Trust me, I'm the author. Well I think I am and then it starts writing itself. Only one of you has guessed **_**close**_** to what Bella is but no one has got it exactly correct (; Just you wait. After this chapter you should have a few more questions. Plus, Edward & Jacob soon! And **_Dark-Supernatural-Angel_ **they have been looking for her, sort of.**

Chapter 17

Bella arrived back at her room shaking. She gently sat herself on the edge of her bed. This place was doing weird things to her. She couldn't think straight, everything had changed and she barely thought of Forks. Whilst part of her happy she'd managed to move on, the rest of wanted to run away. It was dangerous here, not to just to everyone but to her personally, she felt like she shouldn't be here.

Not bearing to think it over, she stood from the bed and walked over to her duffle bag. Within 10 minutes she had all of her belongings repacked and at her door, ready for her to carry down. Glancing back at her room she smiled. It had been good to get away but this wasn't her home. She didn't feel … right.

As quietly as she could she carried her stuff out to her truck before re-entering the bedsit to return the keys to Mrs Flowers. The old lady said she was sad to see her go but she wished her the best. It made Bella smile, everyone was so kind here.

She climbed into her truck to find Katherine sat in the passenger seat, "Where are you off to?"

Bella sighed, she couldn't be bothered with this, "I'm leaving."

"Why?"

"Sorry, boss, am I not allowed to go?" Bella said scathingly.

Katherine laughed, "Oh I like you when you're like this. And besides, who said I was the boss?"

"Huh?"

Katherine just ignored her, "So where are we off to?"

"We?" Bella asked raising an eyebrow, "I'm pretty sure I didn't invite you."

"Psht, no one invites me. You going home?"

Bella sighed again before nodding, "Yeah, this place it just doesn't feel …"

"Safe?"

"Right. I don't belong here, I shouldn't be here."

Katherine smiled, "Good. You'll be safer in Forks."

Bella frowned, "How did you know about Forks, I never told you!"

"Oh please, I'm Katerina Petrova, I know everything worth knowing!"

"And I'm … worth knowing?"

Katherine pondered the statement a second, "Yes. Now, I suppose you'd best be on your way. See you around." She said leaving the truck at super speed.

It wasn't until Bella was driving down the highway an hour later that the oddity of Katherine's actions hit her. The way Stefan and Damon had described Katherine was horrific yet she couldn't really believe it.

She picked up her phone as it beeped.

**And where might you be?**

Bella sighed. Of course Damon would notice straight away.

_Out._

**Gathered. I need specifics.**

_No you don't. Now if you don't mind I'm trying to drive and in case you've forgotten I'm human, I need to concentrate._

She dropped her phone back down in to the passenger seat before grabbing the steering wheel with two hands. She ignored her phone as it beeped a further 3 times before ringing at least 5 times but Bella just turned the music up so she couldn't hear it. She didn't even glance at it until she stopped for the night at the same hotel that she had stayed out on the way to Mystic Falls.

She didn't have a lot of money and was lucky the guy on the desk was the same as before and gave her a return discount. It was only once she was laying in the rooms lumpy bed two hours later that she looked at her phone. She was shocked when she saw she had 10 messages;

**I haven't forgotten which is why you need to text me back.**

**Bella? Please me you haven't crashed.**

**Okay, I'm starting to worry!**

**You should know I don't do worry, it normally ends with a dead body on my bedroom floor.**

**If you don't reply I'm going to string you up by your feet.**

**Right that's it. I'm coming to find you.**

**Okay, yeah that would be ridiculous, you could be anywhere.**

**Bella?**

**You've gone home. Haven't you?**

**Why did you leave?**

She stared at her phone is disbelief. He almost seemed sad and that made her feel guilty. She knew she liked him and there was a chance he liked her but it could never happen, not again. Whenever she looked at Damon she got the strangest feelings. She knew him so well and yet she'd only know him 2-3 days. It was weird.

She didn't dare listen to the voicemails he'd left for fear that she'd give in and go back but even then, she couldn't leave him worrying so.

_I'm fine. Still alive. I've stopped for the night._

She glanced at the time 3am, she doubted he'd text again so she put her phone under her pillow and turned to face the wall, waiting to sleep to find her. Her eyes were just starting to close when she felt her phone vibrate under her pillow. Smiling to herself she pulled it out.

**You know you missed out a fair few answers there.**

_Sorry._

**You've gone haven't you?**

It took her a full five minutes just to bring herself to type the word _yes_.

**Why?**

She paused, after all she didn't really have a plausible excuse just _It didn't feel right_.

**Nothing happened. We talked. You still love him?**

_No, but that's not what I'm talking about. Mystic Falls, it didn't feel right. Great people, I mean Mrs Flowers almost cried, Katherine almost followed me but there's something about the place._

**Katherine?**

_Yup, she's my new BFFFFFFF! (; Sorry it didn't say goodbye._

She didn't realise she was crying until she saw a tear drop on her phone.

**Don't say goodbye. We'll see each other again.**

_Really?_

**Oh yeah, I'm going to hunt you down.**

_Don't. I'll find you._

**Shouldn't be hard. I'll stay here. Won't move a muscle.**

_Bye x_

Bella didn't see his reply the tears were coming hard and fast now. This all felt so familiar. The heart ache, the growing numbness, just like when Edward had left her, only this was the other way around. She was the one leaving, but it shouldn't make her feel like this. It was just Damon. Right?


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: How many of you are confused about what is going on? Raise your hands (; Well have faith. I won't keep Bella in Forks too long. Only a short one.**

Chapter 18

It was early evening when Bella reached Forks. _Twilight_ she though unconsciously. Looking around she saw not much had changed, but then again, she had only been gone a total of 6 days. The restaurant was packed with people she'd gone to school with, the usual for a Friday night. Newton's store was closed. A few people walked the streets aimlessly. She'd forgotten how much safer it was here.

Pulling up to her dads house she noticed the cruiser was missing. Probably just working the late shift she though to herself as she lugged her duffle bag to the front door, reaching deep into her coat pocket for her key.

The first thing she noticed when she entered was how tidy the place was and not in the sense that her dad hadn't moved anything. There wasn't a speck of dust or dirt anywhere. Bella quickly put her bag in her room before investigating. She'd only looked through two drawers when found it. A contract, not just any contract but one saying he was selling the house. Running outside she saw the _For Sale_ sign in the front yard. How had she missed that?

Pulling out her phone she quickly scrolled through her phone book and hit the call button. It was picked up on the first ring but not by who she expected.

"**Bella**?" came a disbelieving tone through the phone.

Pulling back from the phone she noticed she'd gone down one too many in her contact list and called Damon.

"**I didn't expect to hear from you again."**

She sighed, "_Sorry, I meant to call my dad, I must've hit the wrong button._"

"**I don't mind. You home now then?**"

"_You could say that._"

"**What do you mean?"**

"_There's a for sale sign on the house._"

"**Oh. Maybe he didn't want to live there without you.**"

"_I'll have to ask him when he gets back."_

"**Back?**"

"_Yeah, he's at work. Should be ba-_"

Bella cut off as she noticed him, stood at the edge of the woods.

"**Bella?"**

"_I have to go. Bye."_

She hung up and shoved her phone in her pocket.

"Well, you beat Edward here," She said grinning at him.

Jacob laughed and ran towards her, swinging her around as he hugged her.

"You missed me then? I was only gone 6 days!"

He put her down and held her at arms length, "It was the long 6 days of my life. Mostly because I had to spend 4 of them in bed healing and nothing to do and no one visited me…"

Bella frowned, "Sorry Jacob. I had to get away."

"So, where did you go?" He asked walking towards her truck and opening the back so they could sit in the bed.

"Mystic Falls."

He laughed at her, "Seriously?" She nodded. "That's worse than Forks!"

"It's was a nice place," she told him softly, "I was only there about 3 days but I made so many friends. Would you believe there are other types of vampires?"

He looked at her mock-sternly, "Only you would go halfway across the country and find vampires!"

"These were better, trust me. No mind reading, no future seeing, no sparkling," She winked at him.

"Seriously? So they can go out in the sun?"

Bella laughed, "No, they need to have these special rings. And, you'll get a kick out of this, they can run faster than Edward."

He smiled at her, "Sounds like you miss it."

She thought for a second, "I guess I do. I just felt weird there."

"What do you mean?"

"I felt like, like I'd been there before. That I knew the vampires I met."

Jacob put an arm around her, "You going back?"

"I'm not sure. Something tells me it's not safe for me to be there at the moment. Also there's this … guy," she blushed.

"Dead?" Jacob asked sadly.

Bella smiled bitterly, "Seems to be my thing. Wow, I'm unhinged, I must be!"

"I already knew that. But this one doesn't sparkle?"

"No. Although it would look good on him. Hmm, I may need to buy him some glitter body wash," she said winking at him.

Jacobs arm tightened around her as she shivered. She smiled her thanks. She was just about to speak when she saw him across the road. Edward.


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: It's been a while… But I'm getting back into the swing of things. Also I now have Word, so expect less spelling and grammar errors (; So this picks off where chapter 18 left us. Don't expect Bella to be in Forks for long, reviewers are willing her back to Mystic Falls & Damon! I reckon the big reveal is about 3-5 chapters away maybe shorter, I may squeeze a different reveal in beforehand, maybe the Bennett one and then link it back. Excited?**

_Jacobs arm tightened around as she shivered. She smiled her thanks. She was just about to speak when she saw him across the road. Edward._

Chapter 19

She felt Jacob stiffen beside her and realised he must have smelt him. Bella silently studied the man she use to love, secrectly hoping to feel something, anything for him but there was nothing. The love she'd held so close for so long was just gone.

Bella turned to Jacob and gave him a quick hug, "I'll try to drop by later, okay?"

"You're not leaving?" He asked, hope lighting up his voice.

She sighed and glanced towards Edward, noting his hopeful expression as well, "Not tonight." Seeing Jacob was about to protest she cut in, "Later." He nodded in return before disappearing past Edward and into the woods.

After a short staring contest, Bella nodded towards the door and walked into her dads house. Leaving the door wide open she bustled around the kitchen, fixing herself a sandwich. She just needed to be doing something with her hands. She was just seating herself at the table when she heard the front door close. Glancing up she saw Edward was already in the seat across from her.

"Want anything to drink?" She asked before taking a bite out of her sandwich. It wasn't until she heard Edward chuckle that she realised what she had said. Blushing she retracted her offer, "Sorry, I forgot that your kind didn't drink. Well your race." Noticing what she'd said, she took another huge bite, hoping it would discourage him from asking any questions.

What she didn't realise was that Edward had been in the woods throughout her conversation with Jacob and her statement brought back his curiosity. "My Race?" he asked softly.

Bella smiled to herself, she'd forgotten how his voice sounded. It was almost musical. "So, eavesdropping?"

He at least had the decency to look sheepish; she couldn't help but laugh at his facial expression.

"Sorry," she said, trying to calm herself down, "What was your question?"

Edward frowned, she seemed different, and she'd never laughed at him before. "My race?" he repeated.

That sobered Bella instantly, "Oh it's nothing. Slip of the tongue. Forget it." She told him, getting up to throw away her crusts. She was running the water to wash her plate when she heard him behind her. She spun around to face him, "It's nothing Edward. Just leave it."

Bella started to walk past him when she saw his shocked expression, "What?" she asked running her fingers through her hair.

"I didn't make a noise."

Now she was confused. "What are you talking about?"

Edward turned himself so he was facing her, "When I walked behind you, I didn't make a noise. How did you hear me?"

Bella's mind was reeling. She'd escaped Mystic Falls and weird stuff was still happening. "It's nothing." Seeing his disbelief she backpedalled. "I saw your reflection?"

Luckily Edward didn't hear her questioning tone and nodded, "That's good. You had me worried for a second there."

"Why?" She asked confused, "My heart beating, I'm hardly dead."

Edward frowned, "It's quiet."

"What is?"

"Your heartbeat. It's racing, but quietly, I can barely hear it. Are you okay?"

Bella laughed, "I'm fine, honestly," as she made her way into the living room. Dropping on the sofa she pat the seat beside, "Join me?"

"I can't stay long," he whispered sitting beside her.

She swung her feet around and onto his lap, lounging back against the side of sofa. She needed to relax, today had been long and she was exhausted.

"Will you tell me what you meant?" he asked quietly as not to upset her again.

She felt herself tense slightly, "About what?"

He laughed humourlessly, "I know you know what I am talking about. I can hear you heart race."

"Barely," she whispered, closing her eyes. There was a short pause before she continued. "When I left here, I had to get away, so I just drove, always thinking about somewhere else so Alice couldn't find me, so I couldn't be followed. I ended up in a small town a lot like Forks, just a bit more sun and little less rain. It's was quiet, peaceful for my first two minutes there. Then it got crazy."

"What happened?" She could hear the worry in his voice and frowned.

"I met these two brothers. Well I met one first, he didn't exactly make the best impression," she continued.

She heard a growl emit from Edwards chest, "What did they do?"

"It's more, what did I do," she told him, chuckling quietly, "I made a classic Bella decision. One of them went into to woods. I followed. I almost got eaten for interrupting someone's lunch and proceeding to cut my hand open."

She glanced at him, he looked pretty angry, and for some reason that annoyed her.

"You should never have left." He bit out, starring at her.

Bella pulled her feet away and stood in front of him, "It was my decision."

"Obviously decisions should not be left to you."

She was shocked, never had he spoken to her like this, his brothers maybe, but never her. "I beg your pardon?"

Edward stood up as well, "You should have stayed her, with me. We were going to get married, you wanted to join my family. We could've kept you safe. You shouldn't be on your own. You need to stay here."

With his little speech she lost it. "It is my life, Edward. My decision. I, unlike you, am an adult, I can chooses what I do with _my_ life. I am not the stupid, immature girl you met Edward. I don't need you around to hold my hand as I cross the street. Things have changed. They're different now. I don't love you anymore Edward, I'm sorry for that and I am sorry for how I left here but it's done, it's in the past. I live my life for me now, no one else." She faltered slightly as her mind flew to Damon, "Everything is different. Everything is changing."

She could feel the tension in the air, see the hurt on Edwards face. It was in that moment she knew he'd been hoping for reconciliation. Her head dropped in disgust at her attitude, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

For a minute he just stared at her. Who was this girl before him? Had it really only been a week since she'd left? She seemed so different. So … confident. His mind jumped back to the conversation she had been having with Jacob. "Do you love him?" he whispered.

Her head shot up, "What did you say?"

Edward laughed, his posture relaxing slightly, "Do you love him, Bella?"

She studied his face, trying to gauge his emotions, and all she found was acceptance and friendship. A small smile grew on her face, "I think I do."

He smiled sadly back at her, "So this a goodbye visit?"

Bella felt confusion at his statement.

"You probably didn't even know. Your heart lies there. And even though I can't read your mind, I can feel it. Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme-"

"Beauty and the beast," Bella sung softly, chuckling. It was scary close to describing her and Damon.

"I bet your new home didn't feel right, did it?" He asked her knowingly.

She was shocked, he'd hit the nail on the head, "Yes."

"It was because you hadn't let this place go yet. You needed to say goodbye, but you didn't know it. I can see it in your eyes though. You don't fit here anymore. You're not that girl I met in biology three years ago. You're a strong, confident young woman and you need someone who knows this and accepts it." He reached to wipe a tear from her face and whispered, "Why are you still here?"

**A/N: Longest chapter yet! Originally when I write this out it was 600 words and went a different route with the same end destination. I think this works though, don't you? Plus, not too cliffhanger-y an ending for once!**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: This is going to seem a bit random. And short. Don't worry I'm already writing the next chapter, I just felt like confusing your brains some more. (;**

Chapter 20

**[Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy]**

After Edward left that night, Bella struggled to find sleep. Her mind was swimming with thoughts of Damon. Her head was screaming that she hadn't known him long enough to have any feelings, but her heart yelled back in earnest that what she felt wasn't new. Downing a few of her dads sleeping tablets, she crawled into her bed, turning on her radio in the process. AC/DC's Highway To Hell finished and the silence was filled with the peaceful sound of a piano. Closing her eyes, Bella began to drift off.

_Your fingertips across my skin_

_The palm trees swaying in the wind_

_Images_

Visions of her and Damon lying on a beach filled her mind before she could stop them. Oddly enough it calmed her.

_You sang me Spanish lullabies_

_The sweetest sadness in your eyes_

_Clever trick _

_I'd never want to see you unhappy_

_I thought you'd want the same for me _

A stab of sadness ran through her heart. Her and Damon had walked to the waters edge, as they watched the sunset she felt the ring slip on Damon's hand. She cried in her sleep as Damon faded to nothing. An ache in her heart.

_Goodbye my almost lover_

_Goodbye my hopeless dream_

_I'm trying not to think about you_

_Can't you just let me be_

Flickers of memories of her and Damon riding horses, having picnics, even racing through trees tore through her mind.

_So long my luckless romance_

_My back is turned on you_

_I should have known you'd bring me heartache_

_Almost lovers always do _

She could see herself trying to carry on with life. Trying to move on, find someone else but no one compared.

_We walked along a crowded street_

_You took my hand and danced with me_

_Images _

It was different. Damon's hair was longer, curlier. They were in a busy market square, laughing and joking. Everything was great. She could feel the happiness at the return of her love.

_And when you left you kissed my lips_

_You told me you would never_

_Ever forget these images_

_No _

This time they were in the woods, chasing fireflies and just smiling. Rolling around the floor, him kissing her neck, rubbing her arms, holding her close. And then he was gone. Another man stood in his place. He was telling her that Damon had died whilst at war. That she shouldn't be in the woods alone.

_I'd never want to see you unhappy_

_I thought you'd want the same for me _

But she wasn't alone… Was she?

_Goodbye my almost lover_

_Goodbye my hopeless dream_

_I'm trying not to think about you_

_Can't you just let me be_

_So long my luckless romance_

_My back is turned on you_

_I should have known you'd bring me heartache_

_Almost lovers always do _

She was watching as two caskets were taken into a tomb. It read Salvatore. People all around her were crying for the loss of two of the towns great sons.

_I cannot go to the ocean_

_I cannot drive the streets at night_

_I cannot wake up in the morning without you on my mind_

It was different this time. Damon was in front of her, but she couldn't reach him. She was scared.

_So you're gone and I'm haunted_

_And I'll bet you are just fine_

_Did I make it that easy to walk right in and out of my life_

She couldn't stand to see him die again. But at the same time she felt like she'd never met him before. She watched as he drunk excessively and danced with two girls.

_Goodbye my almost lover_

_Goodbye my hopeless dream_

_I'm trying not to think about you_

_Can't you just let me be_

_So long my luckless romance_

_My back is turned on you_

_I should have known you'd bring me heartache_

_Almost lovers always do_

Suddenly the girl clad Damon looked at her, a smirk on his face. He led her outside, they'd barely gone around the corner before he unleashed his fangs and sun them into her. Screaming, she felt the world fade around her. It was dark for the longest time before Bella sat bolt upright in her bed in Forks. Turning to her radio she heard the song end as her heart broke apart. She was confused. She hadn't dreamt since she'd left Forks, but this didn't feel like a dream, it felt real. Bella shook herself. She'd had dreams like this when she'd been with Edward, about which path she should take; Edward or Jacob. She knew what it meant. She had to choose between her head and her heart.

Bella couldn't help but feel that whatever choice she made would change her life completely.


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N: I'm actually writing this one in my garden, let's see if that inspires me more. Although getting inspiration on my Inspiron laptop seems a little ironic (; Ha, I need to write this quick before my battery dies. Lastly, 12 hours on from posting the previous chapter and it's already had 6 reviews and counting! Glad I tried something different with it. This chapter's mostly filler before Bella heads back, just need to leave enough time for the masquerade activities to happen!**

Chapter 21

Bella didn't manage to get anymore sleep that night and when 8 am rolled around her dad still wasn't home, but she told herself not to panic, her dad was probably just on a case or didn't want to be home alone. After showering and eating she decided she ought to pay Jacob that visit. Sliding into her truck with a small smile on her face, she drove the all too familiar route. The second she reached the tribes border, three wolves appeared in front of her. Having not seen them in a while, she pulled over and walked to meet them.

"Hey guys," she whispered, knowing they could hear her.

The smaller sandy coloured one on the end ran towards her, tongue lolling out.

Bella couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her, "Hey Seth," she called, holding out her hand to stroke him. Within seconds of him reaching her, she saw the other wolves relax. "I don't bite," she joked. The russet wolf on the end barked out a laugh which made her smile grow. Everything was so relaxed now that the threat of her becoming a cold one was gone. There was no judgement in any of the eyes around her.

"I'll meet you at your house Jake," she said, climbing back into her truck, "Actually your garage if you don't mind, this truck's been making an awful amount of noise."

**FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS**

Bella pulled into Jacob's garage to find the man himself already inside it with his tool box at the ready.

"I half expected you not to come, you know," he told her sadly.

She frowned, "Why?"

He looked at her confused, "You're back with Edward now, aren't you?"

She couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her, "No. Why would you think that, you big dummy?"

"I just figured he'd have found a way to sweep you off of your feet again."

Bella hit his shoulder, "I left him for a reason Jake, I don't love him anymore. No matter how much he charms me, it won't change that."

He grabbed his shoulder, "Ow Bells, that hurt."

She looked at her hand, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he laughed, "Didn't it break your hand?"

She frowned, holding her hand with the other one, "No, barely felt it."

Jacob just shrugged, "Been getting your vitamins?"

She shrugged back before nodding towards her truck, "I reckon it's the long journey that did her in."

He instantly went into mechanic mode, "I think you're right. She's old now, bless her. Sturdy, sure, but not built for long haul travel anymore."

"Is she past it?" She asked quietly, worrying her lip. Sure she had enough money to swing for a new little car but she loved her truck.

"Only if you're planning on another long journey," he said looking over his shoulder at her hopefully.

She sighed, "I am. You think if I leave her with you for a week maybe you could get her back to her old glory?"

His head disappeared back into the engine, "Try months."

"Really?" She said frowning, "I can't wait that long Jake, I need to get back."

"To the other vamp?" he asked sounding angry.

She sighed, "And my friends. Something's going down in their town and I get the feeling I can help. A week I could manage but a month is a bit long."

"It's mainly importing parts that would take the time, I need to get them from the old manufacturer in Japan."

"Expensive?" she asked.

He laughed, "Just a little bit."

"How about this? I'll buy a cheap little car, head back to Mystic Falls in that and you contact me with prices and I'll wire you the money?" she thought aloud.

"It's gonna be real expensive Bells," he said turning back to her, leaning against the still open front of the truck.

She smiled, "Don't worry, I've got money tucked away."

"What about college?" he asked frowning.

She smirked, "I've got it covered. Edward already paid for it all into my account and he doesn't want to money back."

He laughed, "Of course he doesn't."

"So we got a deal?" she asked hopefully.

"Only if you let me take you to get a new car tomorrow."

"Deal. Where we gonna get one from?"

Jacob smiled as he dropped the hood on the truck, "There's an auction tomorrow in Seattle if you're up to it."

"I'm in. Hey, fancy giving me a lift home?"

"Rabbit or wolf?" he grinned.

"Hmm," she pretended to think, "I reckon wolf would be quicker."


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N: Apparently the outdoors **_**do**_** inspire me! Three chapters in 18 hours! This chapter is dedicated to **Dark-Supernatural-Angel! **Not only has she reviewed every single chapter but she always puts a loooooong review! Thanks (; And here's me updating ASAP (: Got my fingers crossed for your exam results! Psht, I'm weird so I told my garden, it said okay! (; ****[Got halfway down this chapter and couldn't remember if I'd mentioned specific days of the week.]**

Chapter 22

Looking at the clock as she arrived home, Bella was surprised to see it was already 5pm. Rummaging through the freezer she found some of Harry's fish fry and smiled. Putting the radio onto a dance station, she danced around the kitchen to Britney Spears' Gasoline as she cooked, laughing when she caught sight of herself in the reflective door on the microwave. For some reason she was in a happy mood for the first time since she got back, she put it down to Jacob, he'd always been her sun, his happiness infectious. She actually found herself looking forward to car hunting with tomorrow.

Washing up after dinner she cringed as Justin Bieber came on the radio and ran in slow motion screaming 'No!' hit the next station button on the top. Laughing she fell to the floor before recognising the song and jive dancing back over to the sink to put the pots and pans back into the cupboard. She was singing along to P!nk's Raise Your Glass when she heard her phone ring from where it was charging in the living room. Not looking at the caller I.D. she answered the phone singing along to the chorus.

"**Someone's in a good mood**," came a sarcastic voice through the phone. Pulling it back from her ear she saw the call was from Damon.

"_Hey!_" she called through the phone.

"**You feeling better then?"**

Bella walked into the kitchen to turn the radio off before dropping down on the sofa and laying down, "_Yeah. Had a nice chat with my ex, caught up with my friend. I'm actually going with Jake tomorrow to pick up a new car._"

"**Did the truck bite the dust?"**

"_Of course not, just needs a few modifications to get it to run long haul journeys._"

She heard him laugh through the phone, butterflies attacking all her internal organs, **"I could've** **told you that!"**

"_Hey,"_ she responded with mock sternness, "_Don't knock the truck! She's my baby._"

"**I'm sorry Miss Swann, can you ever forgive me?"**

"_This time I will Mr Salvatore,"_ She replied before cracking up. Damon's laughter joined hers for a minute before it stopped abruptly.

"**Does that mean you're coming back?"** he asked quietly.

She grinned to herself, biting her lip, he'd missed her. "_You couldn't keep me away. I have the auction tomorrow then I'll leave the next day, so I'll be back by Friday. Promise."_

"**If you're not, I'll be coming to find you. Oh, and you don't need to worry about Katherine anymore."**

Bella frowned, "_What do you mean?_"

"**We put her in the tomb. There was a big showdown at the Masquerade Ball. Lots of laughs. She had a witch."**

"_Is everyone okay?"_ she asked worriedly.

She heard him chuckle, **"Other than a missing Elena, yeah. I'll explain when you get back."**

"_Elena's missing?"_

"**Don't worry, we got our best witch looking for her. Shouldn't take too long."**

Bella frowned, how could he be so okay with this? "_Maybe I should head back sooner?"_

"**No."** He replied instantly.

She growled, "_You know I don't like being told what to do, Damon!"_

She heard him sigh through the receiver, **"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Honestly. I just- It's just-"**

"_Just what?"_ she asked impatiently.

"**I just don't want you to get hurt,"** he whispered.

Bella froze on the other end of the line before sitting up straight, "_Don't get hurt, okay?_" She told him quietly.

She heard him chuckle, **"What's happening here?"**

"_I don't know. We can talk when I get back, okay?_"

After a second he replied, **"Of course. I've got to go, we've found her."**

"_Bye,"_ she said before hanging up.

Standing up slowly, Bella wandered back into the kitchen and looked around. She felt so helpless, stuck her but she knew she wouldn't be much help. She was just about to go upstairs to her room when she saw an envelope tucked under the phone in the hall. Pausing she pulled it out. Her dads name was on the outside. Pulling open the back she found a short note.

_Charlie,_

_Thanks for the help. The money's been sent. Have a good retirement._

_Bella._

Bella's jaw dropped. This was her handwriting, she was certain, no one else she knew had the same loopy writing. Turning over the envelope she saw two postage stamps. One read the date she left, the other read a date over 50 years ago. Bella's confusion continued to grow. Had someone framed her as leaving to get Charlie alone. Maybe it was the Volturi? She was yet to turn and they must know by now that she wasn't with Edward anymore. But even then the second date didn't make any sense. Unless they had a more powerful psychic than Alice. Not pausing she ran up the stairs and into her dads room. It was bare.

Bella dropped to the floor. What was happening? Was someone after her again? Why couldn't she just get a normal life. She laughed at this. _Yeah cos being in love with a vampire was normal, is normal._ The thought awoke her. Was she really already in love with Damon? Her mind told her it was illogical but she had fallen in love with Edward pretty much the first day she saw him.

Glancing at her watch Bella picked herself off of the floor and into her own room. _11:26_. That's what her watch said. Where had the day gone? The thought had barely left her mind before she fell into a dreamless sleep.

**A/N: I think this chapter's mostly filler. Better stuff next time. A little more JacobxBella fun and considering some more DamonxBella fluff. Hmmm.**


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Bella awoke to someone banging loudly at the front door. Panicking, she grabbed an umbrella from the stand by the door before putting the catch on the door and opening it slowly. Her brain was still panicking about the possibility of someone being after her. The second she saw Jacob though she undid the catch and threw the door open, placing the umbrella back before heading into the house.

"Sorry Jake, I overslept. Have I got time for a shower?" she asked already heading to the stairs.

"Sure," he replied, frowning as he stared at the umbrella. He was worrying. Why could Bella be scared of? He'd heard her doing the catch. He didn't have time to think on it though because less than 5 minutes later, Bella came running down the stairs.

"Right let's go!" She announced as she led the way out of the house.

**FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS**

An hour into their two hour drive to Seattle, Jacob turned to her, "So what was with the umbrella attack this morning?"

Frowning, Bella replied, "I didn't attack you with the umbrella."

"You know what I mean."

She laughed, "Oh, I had this weird dream. Completely crazy. Alls good now though," she explained grinning broadly at him.

He just shrugged before turning back to the road. He completely missed Bella's sigh of relief at him believing her.

**FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS-FS**

The next seemed to fly by as Bella and Jacob sang along to the radio, both mocking one another. Before either of them realised, they were pulling into the auction lot.

"Let's go find you a car," Jacob said, grinning ear to ear, as he climbed out of his rabbit.

Bella just shook her head at his enthusiasm. It took them a fair time to find one appropriate. Jacob was in love with some classic that she'd never heard of an Bentley or something. She was beginning to lose hope of finding something more to her tastes when a car towards the back of the lot caught her eye and she couldn't stop herself running towards it. It was half covered by some tarp which Bella quickly dispensed of. She couldn't stop the smile building on her face.

Under the tarp was a Chevrolet Impala '67. It was black and obviously in mint condition. She couldn't stop herself from running her hand along it. It was beautiful. She was so focused on it that she didn't hear Jacob approach her, but she did hear the low whistle he let out.

"I know right," Bella responded.

"B, this is gonna be expensive!" He tried to tell her but she wasn't listening.

She smiled at him, "Money is no object. This car. It just- It sings to me."

"Sings to you?" Jacob laughed. "If I didn't know better I'd say you just met your soul mate, you're like, glowing."

Bella thumped him on the arm and instantly regretted it as pain shot through her arm, "Gotta remember those vitamins, eh?"

Jacob frowned and grabbed her hand, turning it over to check for any breakages, "You're good. Maybe you should lay off hitting me?"

"Maybe you should stop saying stupid things?" She fired back, smirking at him.

He shook his head, laughing, "When did you start smirking?"

She thought for a second, "About a week ago. Blame my new vampy friend," she winked before turning back to the car, "This is the one. I want it. And what I want…"

"You're gonna get?" He guessed, giving the car a once over, "Well it looks sound."

Bella looked around for one of the auction officials, leaning back she called over to the nearest one, "How much is this up for?"

The guy ran over smiling, "Really? We haven't had any interest in this car in a long time."

She laughed, "Really. I love it. How could anyone pass this over?"

The guy held out his hand, "Jamie."

She shook it and supplied her hand. "So what's wrong with it?" Jacob half-joked.

Jamie shook his head, "Nothing major. It runs like it's new, the old owners obviously took care of it, it's just a few cosmetic things…" He trailed off.

"Like?" Bella politely prompted.

Reaching in his pocket, Jamie pulled out the key to the car and unlocked the door. Leaning he pointed out a few things. "Lego in the heaters, army man stuck in the ashtray in the back," getting out he locked the door and moved to the boot. Popping it he pointed out what looked like a secret compartment. "It used to hold weapons," he explained.

"Interesting," Bella thought aloud. "Who owned it before?"

Jamie shook his head, "Don't know. It was found in a cemetery in Kansas, someone guy rode it here, bought another car and left."

"Price?" she asked again.

Jacob grabbed her arm, "You sure about this?"

Bella just nodded and grinned, "It's got character, like my truck."

Jamie smiled as well, "It's not officially in the auction but the owners of the auction have always said to try and push it for sale. $500."

Bella looked flabbergasted, "Seriously?" Looking at Jake, she saw he looked equally shocked.

Jamie just nodded, "Yup. $500 and you can drive it away today."

"Deal." Bella said as she shook his hand.

**A/N: Any Supernatural lovers out there? Leaving that option open, how you feel about that. More questions? (;**


	25. Chapter 24

**A/N: Experimenting in this chapter! Should be fun. Gonna switch around **_**that**_** scene in Rose. Also only 1 out of the 20+ people who mentioned the SPN thing didn't want it, so by popular demand, it may come up later, but it won't be until after the big reveal (; Hate me yet? Now, back by popular demand…**

Chapter 24

His head spun as he ran to Elena's. There was so much going on, both inside and outside of his head and he needed someone to talk to. He glanced down at the vervain filled necklace in his head before jumping up to Elena's window and sliding into the room. He sun into the window seat as he heard the shower running. He took as second to look around her room and noted a mug of tea of her dresser. Getting up, he walked over and sniffed the cup, _vervain_, the girl was smart, he smiled as he walked back over to the window and looked.

"Damon?" he heard a gasp behind him causing him to spin around.

Tilting his heading, trying to choose an emotion, he decided on teasing. "Cute PJs." Was his reply.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" she sighed, walking closer to him. He just held up her necklace in response but pulled it away when she reached for it.

"I need to talk," he whispered.

"Why do you need my necklace to talk to me?" she asked, a worried expression darkening her face.

Damon thought for a second before holding it out to her, "I suppose I don't really need to, not after you've drunk that tea anyway," he explained nodding towards the cup.

She pulled the necklace from his grasp and quickly secured it around her neck. "What's wrong?"

He looked at her funny, "What makes you think something's wrong?"

Elena smirked and laughed quietly, "You never just pop over to talk."

"Touche!" Sighing Damon dropped onto her bed, starring at the ceiling, "I'm conflicted."

She just stared at him, did he just expect her to accept that? "Seriously Damon. You can understand my scepticism can't you? Last time you were confused, conflicted… whatever. Last time you killed Jeremy."

Damon couldn't stop the wince, "I'm sorry you know. I didn't mean to. Everything just … well everything just blew up in my face and I chose to blame you."

Elena just stared at him in something akin to shock. She unconsciously glanced around, expecting someone to jump out with a camera at any point. When nothing happened, she sat on the bed next to Damon and took his hand into hers. "Thank you for finally being honest with me."

"I'm in an honest mood," he said silently pulling his hand from hers and sitting back against her headboard so that he was facing her.

After a second Elena asked, "Will you tell me what's wrong yet? You haven't been your usual sarky self this week."

He sighed, running his hand through his hair nervously, "I don't know. It's just, Bella come back tomorrow and I'm … conflicted."

She bit her lip and furrowed her brow, "You miss her?"

Damon thought the question over for a minute, "Yes."

"Then where's the conflict?"

He looked at the ceiling, "It's complicated. I mean, …"

"You like her?" Elena asked, smiling at him.

"Which is where complicated comes in. There's something … off about her!"

"What do you mean?"

He stood from the bed and was over by the window before Elena could blink, "There's something … wrong with her. She can't be compelled. Stefan bit her but the next day it was healed. Also, Stefan didn't go on a bender after drinking from her! Not to mention how pal-y Katherine was trying to be with her. Plus, Bonnie saw nothing, literally nothing when she touched Bella…" He trailed off as he continued to pace.

"What is she?" Elena asked quietly.

Damon froze, "I don't know. Plus add on this feeling that I already know her and that brings us to confused alley. I've got Bonnie looking into it, but I don't think she's going to have much luck."

"Could she be a witch? Like really powerful? That would block Bonnie out right? And it'd explain why Katherine was trying to get her onside!"

He mulled over the idea, "It's possible."

Elena was silent for a moment before walking over to Damon, "You think she's in league with Katherine?"

Damon sighed, "I really hope not. I don't want her to be…"

"You like her a lot don't you?" She whispered, smiling sweetly at him, part of it was from relief, if he'd moved on he wouldn't chase her.

He didn't reply however. Instead he walked over to the window, "Thanks for the chat."

With that he slipped out and Elena ran to her window. Damon turned back to look at her. "I won't tell Stefan, and thank you." She said before closing her window.


	26. Chapter 25

**HEY? Just to let you know, I'm currently looking into getting a beta. Also I'll be editing and reuploading previous chapters! Hope this chapter is okay though. I rewrote it a few times before rereading my whole story and finding things I'd forgotten about, so here's me reincorporating them (:**

Chapter 25

After parting with Jacob at the La Push border, Bella headed back home. As she pulled up to the house she saw a shadow moving across a window at the front of the house. Reaching to the passenger seat she felt the bag her dad had given her when she'd originally left Forks, it was yet to leave her side. Not taking her eyes off of the house, she reached in and pulled out one of the guns and pushed a magazine in. The lessons from her dad on how to use a gun suddenly jumping to the front of her mind.

Still not taking her eyes off of the shadow, which was now passing into the kitchen much too fast to be human, she clicked the safety off and pulled herself out of the cars window, the noise from the doors would've alerted whatever was inside further. As quietly as possible she crept around to the back door, which incidentally lead into the kitchen. Her brain didn't even think that she may be overreacting, she knew from the shape of the shadow that it wasn't a Cullen and the wolves didn't move that fast in human form.

When she reached the back door she saw it was ajar. The perp had obviously entered this way too. Smirking slightly to herself she pushed the door a little further, and squeezed in. Pausing, she listened for movement. She heard a creak in the living room and raised the gun before just walking in. Not giving whoever it was a chance to attack, she pulled the trigger twice in quick succession. The figure grunted and fell face first to the ground before turning over, trying to pull the bullets out. It was then that she saw their face.

Clicking the safety back on, she pushed the gun into the back of the her pants and ran over to the vampire, worry on her face.

"I am so sorry, Damon," she whispered, pulling his hands from the two wounds on either side of this heart. Almost rejoicing when she saw that the bullets had just missed his heart.

He grunted underneath her, "No problem, I've learnt my lesson, no more surprise visits."

She frowned slightly at him, "Probably a good idea, next time I may actually get your heart."

He laughed looking down at his chest, "Yeah, they're pretty close aren't they?"

Bella quickly got to her feet and ran into the kitchen. Grabbing a knife she quickly straddled him again and stuck the knife into one of the holes, trying to jimmy the bullet out. She threw an apologetic look at Damon when he hissed. "Sorry, I'm all out of bullet removing tongs."

"And you don't have any thinner knives?" he asked scathingly.

Not appreciating his well deserved distain for the situation, she decided to just stick her fingers into the hole and tug the bullet out instead. Dropping it on the floor she turned to him, "Better?" she asked sarcastically.

Damon glared at her, "No."

"Then shut up," she told him harshly picking up the knife once again and started on the second bullet. This one hadn't gone so deep and as such was easier to get out. Placing the knife down, she watched in wonder as the wounds healed up.

She was about to get up when Damon's hands held her hips in place. She threw him a questioning look which Damon replied to by flipping them over. "Where did you get the gun? Those were wooden bullets."

Bella looked into his eyes, "I know, I just pulled them out of you."

"After you shot me," he told her leaning closer, trying to intimidate an answer out of her. The fact that he couldn't compel her annoyed him now more than ever.

"You snuck into my house," she whispered back. She felt odd, him being this close was clouding her mind.

His reply came back as a whisper too, "I had good intentions."

Bella smiled, "You never have good intentions Damon, anyone could tell just by looking at you."

He smiled back at her and leaned closer, "Okay, I had good bad intentions. I didn't expect you to walk in Rambo style."

She laughed, her hands now resting on his shoulders, "Dear, Rambo has nothing on me. I'm not scared of anything remember?"

"Using my words against me?"

Without her realising, her hands ran up to his face, "Of course Mr Salvatore."

She felt his hand cup her face, "But Miss Swan, that just won't do."

Unconsciously her eyes flicked down to his mouth, which she now noticed was less than an inch from hers. She watched as Damon's eyes made the same deductions. It was then that she noticed her heart was starting to race. Closing her eyes, she tried to calm herself but ultimately failed as she felt something brush her lips.

Opening her eyes she saw Damon staring at her, waiting for a reaction. Smirking, she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. They were kissing with such vigor that Bella was surprised they hadn't combusted. His hands ran down her side, leaving behind a trail of goosebumps. Every touch, every sensation was so much sharper and more thrilling than it had ever been with Edward. She was drowning and she was powerless to stop it.


	27. Chapter 26

A/N: I am so sorry about the wait! I have been beyond busy! Not only did I move halfway up the country, but my laptop also died! And I mean literally. Also I must've started this chapter at least 100 times, each version annoyed me more than the last; I seemed to have put myself in a corner with that kiss. Then I had a brainwave last night which managed to evolve as I wrote. The solution? Something that hints at the big secret and plays on something mentioned a few chapters ago. Okay, rambling! Here's the chapter, beware it's probably going to be my longest chapter yet! :)

Chapter 26. 

Part of Damon's brain screamed at him that this was a bad idea. Sure she'd initiated it but something was bugging him. This kiss felt so familiar, but he couldn't for the death of him place it. Thinking back, he was sure he'd only ever kissed her cheek before this! Reluctantly he pulled away, ending the kiss and looked into Bella's eyes. 

"What's wrong?" she asked nervously, all the while worrying her bottom lip. 

He just shook his head and lifted himself to his feet. Glancing down at her, he came to the conclusion that she didn't feel it. "Nothing," he sighed before clearing his throat and changing the subject. "New car?"

He instantly berated himself for picking such a mundane subject as he saw Bella's eyes narrow ever so slightly.

"Yeah," she replied making her way into the kitchen, "My truck was making this weird sound, so I took it to Jacob to get it check out. There's a wait on the parts so I decided to pick something cheap up at a nearby auction. Made sense and the car only cost me $500."

Damon involuntarily winced, "What did you get?" 

Bella laughed at his expression and grabbed his hand, "Stop with the judgy looks and come look." she laughed as she dragged him out of the front door.

Damon barely had time to register how natural it felt to hold her hand when he saw the car and let out a low whistle. "$500?" He asked, clearly astonished.

"Yep," she replied, making the 'p' pop.  
"It's a beauty."  
She laughed quietly, "The guy at the auction was just so happy to get rid of it."  
"Seriously?"

Bella just nodded in response. There were a few minutes silence whilst he studied the car from what was probably every angle possible before he spoke again.

"Inside." was all he said. She turned to question whether she'd heard him correctly only to find him stood rigidly in front of her facing into the forest.

"Bella please go inside," he repeated, not tearing his gaze from the forest.  
Peering around him, she could just make out a shape about a mile away approaching fast.  
Sighing, she shoved Damon out of the way. At his questioning glance, she called into the forest. "Alice, stop messing with him."

With a giggle Alice Cullen was suddenly in front of them before throwing her arms around Bella.  
"I've missed you so much! Where have you been? I would've had a peek but someone told me to give you time. Well that and the fact that everytime I looked you were thinking of the Eiffel Tower. I really shouldn't have taught you how to get around my gift. OMG! You're wearing the boots I got you. You look so-"

"Woow!" Bella shouted throwing her hands up in surrender, "Give me a second! Or take a breath or something!"

Alice frowned before taking a step back, "Sorry," she muttered sheepishly.

"It's okay Alice, I know what you're like," Bella said, sending her a wink. Seeing Damon shift awkwardly beside her, she blushed and turned to introduce them.

"Damon this is Alice Cullen. Alice this is -" 

"Damon Salvatore," announced a voice behind them, "It's been a while." 

Chuckling, Damon replied, "Indeed it has Jasper. I have to say, you're looking a little pale."  
Both Alice and Bella watched the two vampire's converse with matching looks of confusion.

FSFSFSFSFSFSFS

"So let me get this straight, you two fought in the civil war together? I didn't even know you were in the civil war!"

"For a few weeks, then Jasper was sent down to Mexico," Damon explained from where he was seated beside Bella. They'd all moved into the front room shortly after the reunion.

"Actually I think you'll find that this one," Jasper continued, jabbing his thumb in Damon's general direction, "Went on leave once I was told I was being transferred down to Mexico and decided to stay home rather than joining me."

"Hey!" Damon shouted in his own defence, "If I'd have stayed and gone with you to Mexico I'd either be dead or sparkling like a fairy too."

"I think it's pretty," Alice chimed in.

Damon raised an eyebrow at her, "You're a girl, of course you think it's pretty."

"Hey!" Came the indignant response from the girls.

Damon just raised his hands in the air and chuckled. Just then his phone beeped, "I'll be right back," he told them before blurring outside.

"Is he always like that?" Alice asked once Damon was out of earshot.

Bella chuckled, "As far as I know."

Jasper smiled, "He definitely more … moreish than I remember."

Bella chuckled, "Moreish?"

Alice just laughed, "So… Bella?" She started.

Bella's head snapped towards the pixie-like girl, "…Yes?"

"You and Damon are close, when did you meet?"

Bella frowned and thought for a second before answering, "Two days after I left."

"Seriously, only 5 days?"

"3. I was here for 2 of them."

"He didn't come with you?" Alice asked, clearly confused.

Bella shook her head, "No. He turned up tonight out of the blue. Haven't you spoken to Edward?"

"Not really, he just said that you were where you needed to be."

"Oh well, yeah. 3 days. Huh, it felt like longer."

"Always does," Alice whispered wistfully whilst glancing out of the corner of her eye at Jasper.

"So how did you meet my charming ex-comrade?" Jasper asked rejoining the conversation.

With a straight face Bella calmly replied, "His brother tried to kill me."

"What?" Alice shouted jumping to her feet and racing to stand near Bella, checking her over for injuries, "How could I miss that? If I'd have been watching, none of this would've happened!"

"Woow!" Bella responded, also jumping to her feet, hands raised in surrender. "Nothing happened, Damon came in before I could get seriously hurt."

Taking a deep breath, Alice smiled, "Okay?"

"Seriously?" Bella asked, not quite believing Alice as she lowered herself back onto the sofa.

Alice just nodded in response before running over to Jasper and pulling him from his seat. "Anyway, we should get going, the others are waiting for us. Forecast says it's sunny tomorrow," she winked before making her way to the door. "Damon's on his way. Keep in touch?" She called over her shoulder before they both disappeared into the night.

After a second, Bella once again rose from the chair, this time to close the door. Turning back to the front room, Bella walked straight into Damon. Looking up, all she could think of was how black his eyes were.


	28. Chapter 27

A/N: Firstly, ANON reviews are now switched on! I didn't know they were off LOL so sorry if anyone tried to review but couldn't!

Someone had a guess at why Damon's eyes were black, it's not hunger or lust, so you lose. Also, Jasper had been with Alice but he'd gone around the house to surprise Damon ;) We all clear on last chapter now. Also this was originally split into two chapters, but where was the point in that?

Chapter 27

"You scared me," Bella whispered once she remembered how to speak.  
Damon didn't respond at first and just kept staring at her with those dark black eyes. Once she'd snapped out of her daze, Bella's fear at those eyes had abated. In her mind she drew a link to the cold ones and put it down to hunger. When Damon continued to stare at her, she took a step back before walking around hum and to the stairs, she had just set her foot on the bottom step when his voice reached her, "You should pack, we need to leave soon if we're to make it back before tomorrow morning."  
Turning around, Bella walked back to the kitchen, "Morning? Why the rush?"  
Looking at his phone instead of her he replied, "I have to fix something."  
"Oh," Bella replied dejectedly, part of her had been hoping for some time alone with him, "Well if it's a rush you can go and I'll leave in the morning, I'm real beat."  
Sighing, he looked up at her, his eyes now a dark blue, "I'd rather you came with me, I'll drive."  
With a small smile Bella whispered okay before running up to her room to grab her stuff. This time she pulled out an extra duffle bag and filled it with anything she couldn't live without. It wasn't until she'd reached her bedside table, which was last on her list to pack, that she remembered the letter. Setting her bag down, Bella perched on the edge of the bed, letter in hand. She was debating over whether or not to tell Damon about it. After a few minutes she heard him heading out to the car and decided against it, tucking it into her pocket.  
She was just putting her bags at the top of the stairs when she remembered that the camera her dad had bought her was in a box under her bed with a few forgettable teddy bears. Reaching under Bella pulled out the box only to find two books she didn't recognise on top. One looked like a well worn journal, the other a dark leather book with the word _Cycnus _on the spine. Curious, she pulled them both onto her lap, all thoughts of the camera forgotten.  
Opening the top book, the journal, Bella found a letter taped onto the first page.

_'Swann,__  
__This is the answer to why I ran off the first night we met. I was told, should our paths ever cross again, that I was to leave these books somewhere only you would find them.__  
__I hope you manage to find yourself again,__  
__Petrova.__  
__P.S. Don't panic, I haven't read a word.'_

Even without her name being stated on the letter, Bella knew this letter was for her. She was about to turn the page when Damon honked the horn outside. Grabbing a ratty old shoulder bag, she stuffed the books in, grabbed her bags and ran out to the car.  
FSFSFSFSFSFSFS  
Bella had barely had time to pull her seatbelt on when Damon reversed out of the drive and spun the car in the direction of the interstate. "Okay, where's the fire?" she asked half-jokingly.  
"What?"  
"You just seem to be in a bit of a rush."  
"I told you, I have something to fix." he replied in a belittling tone.  
Bella sighed, "I know, I heard, but why's it so important?"  
Damon sighed, "Someone within the ranks is being dishonest."  
"Is that what the phone call was about?"  
"Partly."  
Bella waited a few minutes for him to elaborate before getting bored of waiting, "And?"  
"Don't worry about it."  
"Seriously?" she asked in disbelief, "You drag me back to Mystic Falls because of something I don't need to worry about? Is this a vampire thing? The secrets, the lies, the over protectiveness..." She trailed off. When she didn't get a response, she just glared at him, threw her shoulder bag on the back seat and climbed over.  
"Really?" he asked in a tone designated to children and childish behaviour.  
Ignoring him, Bella pulled out the old leather book and traced the word _'Cycnus'_ engraved into the spine before opening to the first page. She stifled a gasp as her eyes ran over a family tree. The last name on it was Charlie Swann, there was no line connecting her name to his, in fact the only Isabella Swann that the tree mentioned had been dead for close to a millennia and had only bore one child, William, who coincidentally was an ancestor of Charlie's. Thinking about it logically it made sense that this book was probably passed down and the new owner added their name each time. She was just about to close the book when she saw a name that unexplainably made her blood run cold. _Klaus_.

"What are you reading?" Damon asked suddenly, breaking through her shock.  
Slamming the book closes, Bella looked up at him and answered, "Some family heirloom."  
"Oh, what's it about?"  
Narrowing her eyes, Bella recognised the overly curious tone to his voice, "Nothing really, just a few family stories. Why?"  
"No reason," he shrugged, clearly lying and Bella couldn't escape the feeling that this traitor in the ranks was her.  
Shivering, she opened the book again, this time to the contents page. Skimming through the chapter topics Bella quickly found the one she was looking for. _Klaus_. Rushing through the pages, her brain almost exploded when she saw a portrait of Klaus.  
No, she thought to herself, there has to be a mistake.  
Starring at her from the page was her cousin, Nicholas.

Bella couldn't rap her head around this new information. _How could this ancient vampire look like her 22 year old cousin? _Closing the book, she pulled out her phone, going into her photo albums, Bella pulled up a picture of Nicholas. There was no mistaking the similarities. Without thinking, Bella tapped Damon on the shoulder and showed him the picture.  
"Hey, do you know this guy?"  
Puzzled, Damon pulled over and turned in his seat. Glancing out of the window, she noticed they were just outside of Mystic Falls. _How the..._  
"No, should I?"  
Bella worried her lip before pulling the book open to the picture of Klaus and turned it to him. Without hesitation Damon made to grab the book from her hand but pulled it back in shock. Looking at his hand, Bella saw it was burning.  
"Maybe you shouldn't touch it," Bella whispered pulling it back onto her lap.  
"What is that book?" he demanded.  
Bella just shrugged, "I told you, family heirloom"  
It wasn't until his hand had healed that Damon spoke again, "Who is the guy on your phone?"  
"My cousin… Nicholas."  
"Nicholas? Nicholas... Niklaus... Klaus. When did you last see him?"  
"A few months ago. Do you think it's him?"  
"I don't know," he replied, pinching his nose, "I think the bigger question is, why's Klaus watching you?"  
Bella sighed and slumped her shoulders, "I don't know, I hadn't even heard of him before I moved here."  
Without replying Damon started the car again and pulled into the woods.  
"Where are we going?" Bella asked confusedly.  
"I don't have anything to fix now, but a mystery instead, I want answers. And what I want. I get."  
No sooner had the words left his mouth Bella's world faded to black.


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Damon watched as Bella started to stir, groaning in pain all the while. His heart ached in his chest. He'd trusted this girl, she seemed so honest. But that had all changed now, not only because of Bonnie found but also that book. He couldn't touch it. Hearing a noise behind him, Damon turned to see Katherine watching them from the mouth of the tomb, a guarded expression on her face.

"What are you doing?" She asked him, leaning against the wall.

Damon turned away and walked back up to Bella, lifting her chin so her opening eyes were staring into his, "Pest control."

He felt Bella stiffen in his hold, the guilt stirred in the pit of his stomach again. She looked so innocent.

"What?" Bella whispered brokenly, wincing as her own voice reached her ears. Looking at her head I saw the blood trickling down her forehead.

Without thinking, Damon brought a finger up to wipe it and put it in his mouth. She tasted amazing, even better than she smelt. He didn't miss her shudder. "I told you, there's a traitor in the ranks."

She paused before it clicked, "Me?"

"You tell me. You show up out of nowhere, know about vampires, werewolves, you aren't shocked by any of it apart from the name Klaus. That's right, I didn't miss the shudder you gave in the classroom the other day. Then there's that book. Why can't I touch that book?"

Bella's forehead crinkled, "I don't know. I only just found it."

"Then there's the fact that you can't be compelled, which leads me to think, you've already been compelled by someone older, like Klaus. You said so yourself; him and your cousin could be doppelgangers."

"Cousin?" Came Katherine's voice from behind them.

Turning Damon just shook his head at her before turning to Bella once again.

"I'd never heard of Klaus before I moved here!" Bella protested, trying to pull her head from Damon's grasp.

Letting her head drop, Damon wandered over to a bag she hadn't noticed before and pulled out a dagger. Bella's eyes went wide as she watched him stalk closer.

"You know that phone call I got? It was Bonnie. See she's a witch, reads peoples auras when she touches them, only she didn't pick anything up from you. Naturally she was curious, her powers rarely fail her. So she hit the books, searched the internet and finally in Emily's journal-"

"Emily?" Bella asked confused.

"Her ancestor, used to be Katherine's helper. Anyway, she'd mentioned a Swann family in her journal. Apparently they have roots all the way back to before Klaus even came on the scene. Add in this book with his picture… You can see I'm going with this don't you?"

"I don't know anything," She whispered, tears falling from her eyes as Damon brought the dagger closer. Apparently he didn't like this answer as he took the knife to her forearm, creating a shallow cut. Bella screamed out and Katherine yelled out, "Stop it, she doesn't know anything!"

Pulling back abruptly, Damon sped over to Katherine, "What do you know Katherine?"

"That you should stop this and let her go before you do something stupid," she told him boredly, wandering back into the tomb.

Laughing, he turned back to Bella, "Interesting comrade you've got there. Anyway, where were we. Oh yeah. He sped back over to her and pulled her head back by her hair. "See, now this is odd, I could swear that less than a week ago Stefan bit you here you know. And yet nothing. Second time lucky?"

With that he bit harshly into her neck, tearing the skin. "Mmm," Damon hummed as he licked his lips and looked her in the eye.

"I'm sorry about this you know, you were quite entertaining, but we figure, you die, we can read your book. I'll miss you," he whispered before picking the dagger up and standing before her.

Eyes glistening, Bella calmly looked at him, waiting. Suddenly his lips were on hers and she couldn't resist. Without hesitating she plunged her tongue into his mouth and battled his. Then she tasted it, the metallic tang of blood, her blood, strangely it didn't repulse her. Not at first, then the strangest feeling ran through her.

Suddenly Damon felt Bella begin to shake and pulled back. He looked down at the dagger in his hand, conflicted. He didn't know what to do. He came here to kill her and know something was wrong and he wanted to save her. He vaguely noticed that Katherine return to the front of the tomb as he walked back to Bella, his dagger falling in the process.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Katherine sung tauntingly to him, a small smile on her face.

Speeding over to her Damon picked up the dagger mid-run and threw into Katherine's stomach. She made no move to avoid it and elegantly pulled it out, "Really?" she asked sarcastically, throwing it to the ground, a full blown smirk on her face now. A crash resonated from behind them. They both turned to the chair Bella was in to find it empty.

"What the-?" Damon begun but was cut off by a hand around his throat.

"Let's get one thing straight, if I wasn't appreciative of what you just did, I'd kill you twice. Kat pack your bags, we're leaving."

"I'm stuck," Katherine explained.

"Really? I don't think you are. Now move it!"

Hesitantly, Katherine stepped across the boundary and smirked, "I've missed you old friend."

"And I you. Oh and Damon?"

"Yes?" He asked in fear.

"Sleep." She whispered kissing his lips before dropping him to the floor.

Turning his head to watch them leave as sleep overtook him, he whispered, "Bella, stay."


End file.
